


Waiting for Sunlight

by WindyCanyon



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Demons, Dorks in Love, It's gonna get messy, M/M, Some demon hunters, Witchcraft, someone send help
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-26
Updated: 2016-09-11
Packaged: 2018-05-23 07:03:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 21,629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6108809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WindyCanyon/pseuds/WindyCanyon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Demons are the most feared and despised creatures on earth. They are powerful and they are cruel.<br/>When he was child, Hinata made an unlikely friend and a terrible mistake. Now, he will have to face that mistake and determine whether it will devour him or empower him.</p><p>(Title change. Use to be When Winter Ends.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I'm just going to leave this here. There's more to come, so let me know if you're interested.

He looked up, enraptured by the blue of the sky. He'd never been on the surface world before, but the stories did not do it justice.

Everything was so bright. A fiery ball hung in the sky, burning and spinning above him. Tobio wasn't so ignorant to not recognize the sun, but it was so different from the dim lamps of his home. He couldn't help but stare at the orb in fascination.

"Ah, they cry every time." Oikawa leaned against the wall next to him, smirking as always.

"I'm not crying!" Tobio rubbed his cheeks. "The sun just hurts my eyes."

"There's no shame." Oikawa's smirk widened, giving the opposite impression of his words. "The sun is beautiful."

"Shut up." He looked away from the older demon. The buildings around him were interesting. There wasn't a single scorch mark marring the walls, nor did soot stain every house a dull black. Everything was clean, natural shades.

"Why are we here?'" Tobio frowned. As far as he knew, he wasn't suppose to see the surface for another decade.

"Well..." drawled Oikawa. "I decided, since you can already hide yours horns, it's time for you to take your first soul."

"But I shouldn't do that until I'm an adult." Confusion made his frown deepen.

Oikawa ruffled his hair, brushing his fingers over the places where his horns should be. His smile was sickly sweet as he leaned down to Tobio's level. "You also shouldn't be able to hide your horns yet."

He scowled and glared up at the older demon. Nothing ever good happened when Oikawa wore that smile. Last time he saw it, he ended up with chains wrapped around his horns and trapped to a pole. "I want to go home."

Oikawa's smile twitched. "Come on, Tobio-chan. Don't tell me you can't do it."

"I didn't say that," he snapped. Tobio knew Oikawa was just trying to provoke him, but his pride wouldn't let him back down. "Fine. Which soul am I taking?"

The demon grinned wickedly and pointed a finger towards an empty playground.

Tobio hesitated. He didn't actually know how to take a soul. One look at Oikawa told him the older demon would be no help even if he asked. Tobio shot his caretaker a glare and marched to the playground.

At a glance, the playground was empty. Tobio stood near a tree and shivered as a breeze crawled over his bare back. Bumps rose on his arms and he rubbed them. Who knew the surface world was so cold.

"Hi!"

Tobio whirled around, his hands raised and a familiar heat gathering in his palms. A boy smaller than him stood in front of him with a ball in his hands. The kid tilted his head, bright hair ruffled by the same breeze that made him shiver. He seemed to be waiting for Tobio to do something, though he knew not what.

"You're suppose to say hi back." The boy pouted and gave him an expectant look.

"Oh... Hi." Tobio raised his hand in a small wave. Was this the soul he was looking for?

The boy's face broke out in a smile, and it was like looking at a second sun. His entire being lit up, glowing brightest at the center. Tobio could only blink and stare at the bright soul. He wanted to reach out and touch the bright glow, partially out of instinct and awe. If he could just get it out of the child's chest, he could take it home and look at it everyday.

"Hey!"

He snapped out of his daze. "What?"

"I've never seen you before. Did you just move here?" The boy didn't seem the least bit annoyed that he wasn't paying attention.

"No."

"Oh... Well, I'm Shouyou Hinata." The tiny sun bounced closer. "What's your name?"

"Tobio Kageyama." He stepped back.

"Wanna play?"

"Uh... Sure?"

Shouyou let out a whoop of joy and ran towards the courts. Tobio followed much slower, rubbing his arms fiercely.

"Why are you doing that?" Shouyou mirrored his rubbing.

Tobio immediately stopped. "It's kinda cold."

"No, it's not!" Shouyou gawked at him. "It's like a million degrees out!"

He looked away and embarrassed flush crawled up his cheeks. Surely, the boy would start teasing him now.

"Um... If you're cold, where's your shirt?"

"It's at home. I didn't know I was coming here." Tobio was still waiting for the cruel laughter.

"Then... Here!" Shout set the ball down and yanked off his shirt. He shoved it at Tobio with that shinning smile.

"Are you sure it's okay?" Tobio eyed the shirt with distrust. There must be something wrong with the shirt.

"Of course! Hurry up and put it on, so we can play."

Tobio carefully pulled on the shirt. It wasn't much against the chilly breeze, but it was just enough to stop his shivers. "Thanks."

"It's nothing." Shouyou beamed and it lit up his soul again. "Let's play hide 'n' seek first."

Shouyou ran to hide and Tobio began to count. They played the rest of the afternoon, moving from game to game. They abandoned hide 'n' and seek once Shouyou decided Tobio was too good at it (Really, he was just too bright not to see). Mostly, they chased each other around the playground, laughing until someone caught the other.

Tobio couldn't remember the last time he had so much fun. The other demon children didn't like playing with him and they never smiled at him with genuine warmth. It felt nice to play again and laugh with someone.

Eventually, Shouyou collapsed into a swing. He was breathing heavily and sweating. However, neither the smile nor the glow faded from him. "This is fun."

He nodded and took the swing next to the child. A smile wormed its way on to his lips. "Lots of fun."

"I like you. None of my other friends can keep up with me." Shouyou laughed.

Tobio looked at the boy quickly. He'd never been anyone's friend before. "Are we friends?"

"Well, duh!"

He grew quiet. While they were playing, he'd forgotten why he was here in the first place. It didn't feel right to take the soul of his first friend.

"What's the matter?" Shouyou looked over at him.

"I've never had a friend before."

"What! Why not?" Shouyou actually looked surprised. If he really knew Tobio, maybe he wouldn't be so surprised.

A hand came up and touched the side of his head—right where he his horns should be. "I don't know..."

"They're stupid," declared Shouyou with such an air of fact, Tobio believed him. "You're fun."

Tobio didn't say anything, but his chest grew warm. It was nice to have a friend.

From far off, a voice called Shouyou's name and the boy stood up. "I got to go. Mommy is calling."

"Oh..." Tobio did his best to push down his disappointment and stood. He slowly pulled off his borrowed shirt and gave it back to Shouyou.

They walked to the end of the park, both oddly silent. Shouyou turned to him suddenly, his smile nowhere to be seen. "Am I going to see you again?"

He shook his head. "I don't think so."

Unhappiness dimmed Shouyou's glow. "Goodbye, then..."

"Bye."

Shouyou looked back at him one last time before stepping out into the street.

It happened in slow motion. Tobio didn't see the truck crash into Shouyou's small body, so much as he knew it would happen. Blood would splatter across his face and there'd be a terrible crunch and thud as Shouyou's body landed far away. The ball would bounce and roll to his feet.

Tobio moved faster than he ever thought he could. He launched himself forward and tackled his friend out of the way a split second before the truck could hit him. They landed hard on the ground; the ball bounced away; and Tobio clung to the smaller boy. His thoughts were scattered and it felt like his chest would burst from fear.

Shouyou scrambled back from him and rubbed his scrapped hands. His eyes were impossibly wide. "You saved my life."

"I did..." Tobio couldn't quite believe it. A small part of him whisper he'd done the wrong thing, but he drowned it with relief.

"We have to see each other again!" Shouyou dramatically gripped his hands, despite the fact he was bleeding. "I owe you my life."

"I don't think we will meet again." Tobio frowned. As much as he wanted to keep the human as a friend, they could never be true friends being as different as they were.

Shouyou's face fell. "But why? I thought we were friends."

"We are!" insisted Tobio. His brows knitted as he struggled with his words. "Can you keep a secret?"

"Yes!" The boy's eyes glowed at the prospect of a secret.

Tobio took a deep breath and let it out slowly. A weight lifted off his shoulders as a familiar weight settled on his head. Shouyou's eyes were no longer locked on his face. They were frozen at the side of his head. Tobio waited for a scream. He waited for Shouyou to run.

"Oh... You're a demon." The boy looked more stunned than scared.

"Yeah..." Tobio pulled his hands from Shouyou's and stared guiltily at the ground. "I was here for your soul, too."

"You can have it."

He looked up quickly, eyes wide. "Really?"

"It's the least I can do." Shouyou smiled so wide, it looked painful. "You saved my life."

"But...Don't you need it?"

Shouyou's smiled faded, like he just realized he did indeed need his soul. "Right. Maybe, you can come for it later?"

"I don't see why not..." Tobio frowned. He still didn't want to take Shouyou's soul, but it seemed alright if the boy was giving it to him. "I'll pick it up once I can travel on my own."

"See! Let's shake on it." Shouyou stuck out his hand.

Tobio grasped the small hand. Electricity ran from his hand into Shouyou's. They both jerked back and rubbed their palms.

"I guess that's it," murmured Tobio.

"I really got to go home." Shouyou jumped up and started running. "You better come see me!"

As soon as the bright boy disappeared, Oikawa stepped out of the shadows. Worry etched into his normally playful features, sweeping away his smile. It made Tobio tense and nervous. His caretaker was never without a smile, no matter the intention behind it. Oikawa was not only frowning, but pale as well.

"I did it," said Tobio in an attempt to bring back Oikawa's smile. "That was good, right?"

A wobbly smile turned up the corners of his lips, and his caretaker patted his head. "Of course. You did very good."

"Let's go home. I'm sure Iwa-chan is worried." Oikawa leaned down and raised him to his feet. The older demon walked fast, keeping his hand trapped in his.

Tobio stumbled after Oikawa, but didn't complain. Oikawa's behavior frightened him, and the grip on his hand was almost comforting.

As they walked, it grew darker and darker. Tobio couldn't see anymore, but Oikawa's hand guided him. He clung to it as creatures brushed past his ankles. The creatures tried tripping. Oikawa held him up each time, even growling when an especially bold creature grabbed his ankle. Oikawa had never done that before--actually protecting him from anything.

When they saw the first lamp, Tobio expected Oikawa to let go of his hand. The demon's grip didn't disappear, but only tightened the further into the city they went. It hurt his hand and only after he made a small sound, did Oikawa loosen his grip with an apology. The apology scared him more than the creatures had.

They arrived at their home and Oikawa released his hand. "Go clean up. You smell like a human."

"Okay..."

Oikawa gave him a small push towards the bathroom. Before Tobio could say anything else, Oikawa disappeared upstairs.

Tobio was alone again. However, the memory a smile as bright as the fabled sun warmed his chest. For once, being alone wasn't so heavy.

...

He gave a small knock before stepping into the office. Hajime was looking over a red file. His eyes didn't raise from the file, but his voice rumbled through room quietly.

"What did you do?"

"Nothing too terrible..." Tooru sauntered around the room, putting a chair between them as casually as he could. As he was, Hajime was calm and relaxed. His short horns were out in the open and peeked through his black hair.

"Just spit it out before I hear about it from someone else."

Tooru stopped his pacing and put his hands on the chair. "I took Tobio to the surface."

Hajime was up and moving around his desk in one fluid motion. Tooru tensed, waiting for the demon to be at his throat, but Hajime kept moving. He scrambled after his partner as he ran down the stairs.

They both burst into the bathroom and scared poor Tobio out of his wits. The child stared them from his place in the tub, eyes wide and hands frozen over the soap. He was too startled to even blush at having his privacy violated.

Steely eye moved from the boy to Tooru. Hajime's face was stone, but fury flashed in his eyes. He'd only seen Hajime like this a few times before and it scared him straight to his core. "Get back to my office."

As Tooru hurried to comply, he heard Hajime speak to Tobio.

"You can let your horns out when you're at home."

Tooru was at the top of the stair by the time Tobio finally replied. "It's easier this way."

He hurried into the office and listened to Hajime's steps on the stair. His partner seemed more tired than angry. However, as soon as their eyes met, the anger was back.

"You are an idiot," spat Hajime.

"I know..." Tooru shrank behind the chair.

"You're lucky that child is so strong. What were you thinking?" Hajime stalked towards him. "He could have been hurt or killed!"

"I know..." Despite being the stronger of them, Tooru coward under Hajime's anger. "But...more happened."

"Spit it out."

Tooru quickly explained how he urged Tobio to take a soul, knowing full well that child would be unable to do so. He described how the children played together and how happy Tobio was just to have a friend. He lingered on that part too long, because seeing Tobio smile was something new for him and he mostly didn't want to continue talking. It was much hard to tell of Tobio saving the human child.

"He contracted a soul... The human gave up ownership of his soul to Tobio," whispered Tooru.

There was a pause and in a flash, Hajime was on him. The shorter demon slammed him against the wall. Hajime glared at him with black eyes. "You should have stopped him!"

"I didn't think he could do it!" Tooru raised his hands and turned his face away from Hajime's fury. "I wanted to see him try."

A low growl rumbled from the back of Hajime's throat, deep and feral. "You just wanted to see him fail."

"That's not true!"

Hajime shoved himself away, putting distance between them. His anger was stripping away the human glamour every demon wore. Hajime ran blunt claws though his hair, only to pull his hand back in distaste. "I should have known you'd be like this. I should have known from the moment that boy's horns began to rival yours."

Tooru took a quick step forward. "His horns have nothing to do with this!"

Hajime was at his throat again, more of the glamour falling away. "If that is true, then explain your actions! Explain every cruel thing you have done to that child!"

He looked away. Hajime's hot breath burned, on the edge of flames. Tooru couldn't explain his actions. He knew he was in the wrong. Something about Tobio made him inexplicably angry. It started with the quiet adoration Tobio looked at them with. It was cute at first, but as Tobio grew older—stronger—it only annoyed him. The day was not far off when Tobio would no longer need any of them. He would be stronger than both Hajime and Tooru combined.

Hajime took his silence as admission. "Do you even realize what you're doing to him?"

Tooru started speaking, "He'll be fine—"

"Have you looked at Tobio?" Hajime didn't sound angry, just frustrated with trying to explain this to him. The dark-haired demon stepped back, his glamour firmly back in place. "I've had enough of watching you destroy him. I'm taking him."

"You can't!" Tooru stepped after Hajime as he went back to his desk. Getting Tobio taken away was the last thing he wanted. He may not treat him well, but he truly cared for Tobio. He was Tooru's precious charge, and no one else even had the strength to properly train him. "You can't do that!"

"You have no say in the matter. You've demonstrated yourself as an incompetent caretaker," said Hajime, driving each word like a knife. He was using the voice Tooru hated. It was cold and final. Hajime sat back at his desk and that was the end of the conversation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoped you liked it. This is just the prologue.


	2. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at that, I actually popped out another chapter! Enjoy!

Tobio flipped up the collar of his jacket against the wind that sent shivers down his spine. He knew for humans, it was only a breezy autumn. However, it felt like the herald of winter for him.

Leaves were only just beginning to turn. Tobio paused to stare at a tree equal parts green and brown. A breeze pulled off a few leaves and one landed on his shoulder. He plucked it off and watched it burn up in his hand. The ashes blew off with another breeze, leaving only a black smudge against his skin.

The surface never failed to fascinate him. It was colorful in ways his own soot-stained home wasn't. The people were quieter as well. It was almost peaceful. Most of all, it was incredibly fragile. He enjoyed the fragility of its nature and creatures. Humans, on the other hand, could go die for all he care. He would destroy entire cities if it wouldn't mean his own demise.

The moment of peace he'd been enjoying was suddenly shattered by a couple across the street, whose unhappiness rolled off in waves. A woman was tugging gently at a man's arm, guiding him around people as they moved down the sidewalk. He jerked away from her touch each time she did it.

"Stop it. I'm blind, not deaf." He tapped his cane against the ground, walking ahead of the woman.

She stared at his back, obviously hurt. However, patient as ever, she touched his arm again when he nearly walked out into the street. "Just let me help you a little. You're still not use to it."

"Don't," he replied coldly. There was a bitterness in his scowl that said his anger wasn't truly directed at the woman. "Let me do it myself."

"Fine...Fine. Do what you want, but your pride is going to get you killed." The woman stopped walking and shook her head. Her shoulders slumped with exhaustion and defeat. She walked away, but she didn't cry.

Tobio took that as his cue. He hopped the street and took up the place the woman had left. They walked until they reached an empty crosswalk. The man shifted uneasily, unable to tell if he could go or not. Tobio waited for the light to turn green and stepped out into the road. He knew there was a truck about to round the corner.

The man, upon hearing his steps, followed him out into the road. Tobio stopped abruptly, and the man walked a few steps more before stopping as well. It left him in the perfect spot to get hit by the incoming gravel truck.

Air from the truck lifted his bangs and blew exhaust in his face. There was a sickening crunch of metal and bone, and blood splattered the concrete in front of his feet. He felt the life slip out of the body as soon as truck hit it. All that was left of the man was a small, glowing orb in the middle of the street and a mangled body in the gutter.

Unseen by the people rushing towards the scene, Tobio picked up the soul and let it absorb into his body. The warmth that followed was delicious. It moved from his fingers up his arms and down to his toes. All the while, Tobio watched images play against the back of his eye lids. He stood still until the warmth faded, and then moved on.

Tobio didn't have a destination in mind as he walked. No one from any of his contracts had called. He'd only come to the surface world to escape his own. A few quick meals on the way were mere conveniences, but not the purpose of his visit.

Out of nowhere, he heard someone calling. They didn't say his name or the usual chant for a summoning. Tobio frowned at the loud shouts ringing in his head. He didn't know who was calling and they obviously didn't know who they were shouting at. Tobio was more than willing to show they what they were going into.

...

The circle was complete, as far as he could tell. Candles flickered at each cardinal point and lit the dark place with yellow light. White chalk lines circled the center of the room and lined the runes he got from a book. Blood was dripped on the right runes and various herbs filled the air with smoky scents. Yet, nothing was happening.

Shouyou checked over the list he got from the book. The incantation was there as well, but he couldn't understand it let alone read it.

"Is an incantation that important?" Shouyou looked at the circle again and froze. Standing in his circle, a man stared at him. He was garbed mostly in black, blending into the many shadows. Shouyou squinted though the smoke and flickering light, unable to tell if he accidentally summoned a humanoid of some kind. His book described demons with horns and claws, and fire was suppose involved somewhere in there. The thing in front of him only looked like a very human—very pissed young man. "Are you...a demon?"

"You summoned me and you don't even know what I am?" The man's mouth turned down into a scowl. Despite being summoned, there weren't any of the tell-tale signs of a demon.

"S-Shut up!" Shouyou threw down the potion Suga recommended for demons. It splattered against the demon's shoes and a foul smell rose up.

" _What the fuck._ " The man looked down at his shoes and slowly back up. The look of utter fury on the man's face was terrifying. If Shouyou wasn't certain before if the man was a demon, he was now.

The potion wasn't suppose to work like that. It was the potent thing against demons that Suga knew about. It was especially created to fight demons. The demon only looked pissed off by Shouyou's attempt to vanquish him.

He scrambled to fortify the circle and think up a back up plan. There were more potions in his bag, but only a few would have any effect on the demon. Honestly, he hadn't thought it would go this badly and hadn't prepared anything truly effective.

A strong gust blew out the candles and knocked them out of the circle completely. Shouyou whirled to set them up again and relight them without getting to close to the demon. Pressure pushed at the inside of the circle, testing its strength. The demon caught his gaze. Its eyes glowed with terrible light and locked him in place. Trapped by the demons gaze, he could only watch as the demon drew his fist back and drove it through the barrier.

There was a resounding crack, and a hammer of force collided with his body and threw him back against the wall. He hit the ground hard, head spinning from the double impact. Glass broke and fell around him, but Shouyou could only groan. Blood flowed from his nose and flooded his mouth. His body convulsed and forced out the blood that threatened to drown him.

The glowing eyes returned, taking up his spinning world. Shouyou rolled onto his back and struggled to get up. He was a dead man if caught on the ground, though he wasn't much better standing. The fuzz in his mind grew heavier and heavier, until Shouyou only saw black and glowing blue.

He woke to the taste of copper in his mouth and a painful throb in his skull. His entire body was one big pain, centered mostly in his forehead. It made thinking hard, and moving next to impossible.

Eventually, the pain faded enough for Shouyou to sit up—only to wish he hadn't. Nausea swept him up and turned his stomach. Shouyou forced a hand over his mouth, determined not to vomit. The feeling faded to the back of his mind.

With his body more or less in check, Shouyou dragged himself up and stumbled to the windows. Being upright brought a whole new wave of nausea, but it was easier to will back as he tugged open he black curtains. It was late afternoon. Daichi was going to have his head for missing work.

New light revealed the utter chaos of his room. Broken glass glinted all over the ground. The candles were knocked over, their soft insides pooled and hardened on the floor. There was a pool of dried blood that likely came from him. He sighed at the thought of cleaning it all up.

Before he could start cleaning, he needed to properly close the magic circle. Open circles attracted more than one creature, especially a broken one. Shouyou used his foot to scuff a break in the line and muttered the closing words. The knot in his belly untied and he relaxed some.

In his hazy state, Shouyou hadn't thought to wonder about the demon he summoned. The hairs on the back of his neck rose as a chill ran up his spine. A slow glance over his shoulder revealed nothing.

He lunged for his bag. Shouyou wasn't any match for an unbound demon, but there were a few people on his phone who were. Before he could reach his bag, an iron grip clamped on his arm and spun him around.

The demon glared at him, his eyes glinting with the same inner light that terrified Shouyou before. "Who the hell are you?"

Shouyou's first instinct was to scream, which happened to be the right decision. The demon jerked back as if burned. He took the chance to run.

Every muscle in him froze, refusing to move as his mind screamed at them. He was hyper aware of the demon moving closer. Shouyou kept his eyes down, fearing the evil creature more than he ever feared anything before.

A strangled gasp wrenched itself from his throat as the demon grabbed his wrist. The rough grip yanked up his hand and shoved it under his nose. On the back of his hand, a strange symbol swept over the previously unmarred skin. It was a single unwavering circle, faint like a smoke ring.

When Shouyou didn't say anything, the demon shook his hand and said more urgently, "Who are you?"

"What is it?" He tore his eyes from the mark to the demon. Despite being terrified of the creature's glare, he looked too human for Shouyou to fear looking at him. "I don't know what this is."

Uncertainty flitted over the demon's face, quickly overshadowed by a frown. "Of course, you know what it is! You had to agree for me to put it there."

The demon's insistence startled him, and Shouyou tried drawing his hand back. "I don't know what you're talking about!"

The uncertainty was back again, disappearing just as quickly as it appeared. The demon stared at him, and Shouyou was naked under his eyes. "Who are you?"

Shouyou scowled as fiercely as he could. However, he couldn't keep the tremor out of his voice. "I'm not stupid enough to give you my name."

"I already know it, _Hinata_ ," snapped the demon. "It's in the contract. I want to know who you are, because I don't know you!"

"Contract?" What little blood he had left fled his face and his entire body went cold. "I didn't agree to any contract."

Mild panic made the demon draw back, finally releasing his wrist. "Don't pass out, idiot."

With the touch gone, the mark faded back into his skin. Shouyou stared at the blank skin, turning his hand over. "Are you trying to trick me?"

"I wouldn't waste this much time if I was." The demon threw up his hands and glared at the wall. "I have no idea who you are. The contract doesn't say anything but our names. I don't even remember meeting you."

Shouyou glanced at the demon, surprised by how confused he sounded. The book and stories never told of demons acting like this. He'd always heard of demons being cunning and beguiling; masters of acting to suit their needs. This demon seemed just as confused as him by the mysterious mark. He hadn't even tried to attack Shouyou, though he would obviously win.

He looked up at the demon—really looked at the demon—trying to figure out if this was some kind of trick. Dim recognition lit the back of his mind. Something about the way the demon's hair fell and veiled his dark, brooding eyes. It reminded him of a forgotten memory. He reached through the fade clouds of memory.

A younger face appeared in his mind—one more apt to smile, though wary caution never left his eyes. Shouyou's eyes widened and he let out a surprised shout. "Tobio!"

The demon visibly startled, letting his face morph into a glare. "I never gave you my name."

"We were children, remember?" His excitement got the better of him, and Shouyou rushed forward. It's been many years since they'd seen each other, but he remembered fondly playing together on that hot summer day.

Spooked, Tobio let out a low, inhuman growl that froze Shouyou in his tracks. Despite appearances, Tobio was still very much a demon.

"I don't remember you."

He took a hasty step back, fear returning with renewed fervor. All these years, Shouyou remembered the boy painfully awkward and obviously human. Only now did he realize his mistake as it literally bared its teeth at him.

He rushed to explain, "No one was at the playground except you and me. It was super hot, but you were cold. I let you borrow my shirt!"

The glare slowly left Tobio, and his posture relaxed. However, the frown stayed in place, knitting his brows with uncertainty. "I...need to go."

Before he could open his mouth to speak, Tobio was gone—poofing out of existence like smoke. All that remained was the faint scent of fire and burning wood.

...

Files were scattered across the floor, more joining the mess as he searched through them. Tobio didn't expect to find a Shouyou Hinata. They were just kids when the contact was made. It was against the rules to go around making as many contacts as one wanted. They had to be filed and tracked in case something went wrong.

Frustrated and even more annoyed by the mess on his floor, Tobio began cleaning up. He shoved the files into his crowded cabinet, cursing all the way.

"At this rate, you'll need a new file cabinet."

Tobio whiped around. Iwaizumi stood in the doorway, steely eyes unmoving. The older demon's stare would disarm many, but Tobio wasn't intimidated. He merely nodded in return. "I've misplaced a file."

Iwaizumi nodded back. The shake disturbed his hair and let his horns peek out. "If you left it out, I may have thought it was mine."

"Maybe..." Truly, it wasn't likely Hinata even had a file. They were just children then, and the contact was left to be forgotten like most memories.

"Do you want to look through my files?" Iwaizumi stare grew more pointed, prying  at him. "Did something happen up top?"

"No." Tobio accidentally shut the cabinet too hard, startling himself with the noise.

Iwaizumi glanced at the cabinet and gave him an unconvinced stare. "Alright... Don't let Oikawa see you like this, though."

Tobio gave a curt nod.

The older demon looked like he wanted to say more, but returned his nod instead. "I have business in First Circle. I'll be gone for the next week."

"And Oikawa?" He frowned. It wasn't unusual for Iwaizumi to go away on business. The real concern was whether Oikawa had any jobs to attend.

"He just finished a big contract." Iwaizumi matched his frown. "He'll probably be here to sleep off the meal."

"I have a contract to take care of. I won't be here." That wasn't exactly true, but he'd say anything to limit his time with Oikawa.

Iwaizumi sighed, unsurprised by his answer. "I'll tell him. Good luck with your contract."

"You too...with the Council."

"Thanks." Iwaizumi turned and left.

Tobio waited until Iwaizumi left the house to leave as well. The streets were emptying; demons returning home from the surface.

It was the most dangerous time to try crossing worlds. The Gate was more prone to bouts of instability, and the gatekeepers lurking inside it loved pulling demons off the path. If Tobio was any lesser demon, he wouldn't even consider going through. However, the gatekeepers rarely bothered him, even at this hour.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to try updating weekly. I have quite a few chapters written, but I don't really have a computer to type them up with. So, we'll see how this goes.


	3. Chapter 2

He lept from roof to roof, his feet barely touching down before he pushed off again. His steps made no sound and jumps took only a twitch of strength. With each jump, he soared up high, almost lighter than air.

On the sidewalk below, a bright orange head hurried along. Like most humans, he was unaware Tobio presence. Hinata just continued on his way, unbothered by the dark figure trailing him.

Hinata came to a stop, looking into the crowd around him. Tobio landed on a street lamp and watched. He'd been following the boy all morning, waiting to get him alone. So far, Hinata hadn't stopped in one place long enough for Tobio to corner him.

As he watched, his vision slipped from one spectrum to the next. Colors faded out, leaving the world a shadowy gray of fuzzy silhouettes. People disappeared completely. In their place, souls flickered in shadowy vessels.

Then, there was Hinata.

The boy glowed like a small sun. While others around him wavered from an invisible wind, Hinata burned steadily. He was blinding. He was beautiful. Tobio forced his gaze from the soul and blinked until his vision returned to the other spectrum.

"Kenma!"

Hinata was back, just as bright as his soul. The human ran forward and stopped in front of another boy. Tobio couldn't see his smile, but even from his place on the light, the feeling was obvious. His enthusiasm radiated out like sun rays, or nuclear radiation--depending on how the rays were taken.

The two humans turned back the way Hinata had come, and Tobio got a clear view of the newcomer. The boy was slightly taller than Hinata, but small beside his large presence. He held himself inward, shoulders hunched and face hidden by a curtain of dyed hair. His eyes, which had been so focused on the ground, snapped up.

For a moment, Tobio froze as gold eyes locked on him. His reflexes jumped to cover his stuttering mind and pulled all his demonic energy deep into his core. The gold eyes flicked around and the tension left the boy's shoulders.

Assured he was longer noticed, Tobio hopped down to the ground and trailed a few steps after the humans.

"Where's Kuroo?" Hinata bounced a few steps ahead, waiting for the other boy to catch up again.

"Running errands. I owe Yaku a free reading after he and Bokuto magically cemented him to Lev."

Hinata winced. "I'm sure Yaku was happy about that."

"He jinxed Bokuto with a pink hair and Kuro gets pinched every time he smiles.

Hinata snickered. "Yaku is really good at jinxes."

"He's gotten better since Lev came around," said the other boy.

Hinata let out a cheery laugh. "So, where do you want to go?"

"You're the one who invited me."

"Oh, right! Let's get some food then." Hinata ran off, dragging an unresistant Kenma behind him.

Tobio lingered by them throughout the entire outing. Normally, he had no interest in human activities, but Hinata was contagious. Tobio found himself silently rooting along with Hinata at an arcade as Kenma claimed high score. He stole a bite of ice cream while Hinata was distracted, which caused him to accuse Kenma of the theft. A smile cracked along his lips from Hinata's antics and an ache in his chest grew. It was fun to watch the boys and almost participate with them, but no gaze lingered on him and no conversation was directed at him. He held his breath every time he thought someone would acknowledge him. It never happened and Tobio kicked himself for hoping it would. By the end of the time, his mood was darker than ever.

Hinata led them over to a bench. He and Kenma sat on one end, and Tobio sat on the other.

"What is it you want to talk about?" questioned Kenma in a quiet voice. Hinata had been silent for too long.

"How do you know I want to talk about anything?" Hinata gave a weak laugh. Despite his attempt to keep the mood light, his worries seeped out into the air.

"You've been trying to ask since after lunch." Kenma leveled Hinata with a steady stare. As his unblinking eyes suggested, not much went unnoticed.

"I didn't know I was being that obvious..." Again, Hinata gave that weak, little laugh. The hallow sound annoyed Tobio and he almost reached over and smacked the human across the head.

Kenma didn't reply, staring at his friend until Hinata looked away.

"I was wondering... Do all demons have horns and claws?"

Slowly, Kenma blinked. He hid his surprised well, but it was there in twitch of his mouth and clench of his hands. "Most do. You know that."

"I know!" Hinata pressed his lips together and let out a loud sigh. His hands dropped into his lap and Hinata stared at them, tracing a slow circle on the back of his hand. "I guess... I want to know if they can look human."

Concern drew Kenma's brows together. "The powerful ones, yes. It's rare to find one who can keep a stable glamour on."

Hinata frowned, unhappy with the answer. "What...What do contracts look like?"

"I don't know. I've never seen one." Kenma's concern turned into slight panic. His hands gripped the edge of his jacket, knuckles turning white from the force of his grip. "Did something happen, Shouyou?"

"Nope..." Hinata gave a smile, as hollow as his laughs. "I just had this weird dream."

Though Hinata was obviously lying, Kenma didn't say anything. He just stared at his friend, trying to decipher the emotions crossing his face. His pocket vibrated and Kenma glanced at Hinata. The boy nodded, and Kenma wasted no time to pull out his phone and type a quick message.

"Kuroo?" Hinata's smile turned into a smirk.

A light flush crawled up Kenma's neck. "He's just reminding me of my rituals class. I have to go."

Hinata's smile was back in full force. "Tell Kuroo I said hi."

"Shut up, Shouyou." Kenma stood quickly. Blush spread to his cheeks.

"See you later, Kenma!"

Tobio waited for Kenma to turn the corner before he released all the energy he'd been holding in. The glamour drop and Tobio relaxed in his second skin. Hinata turned his head at the sudden motion and screamed.

He winced and scowled. "Don't scream!"

"Don't just appear out of nowhere!" Hinata shrank away from him, grabbing at his bag like it could protect him. "Why are you here?"

He stared at the boy, who watched him with a mixture of fear and distrust. It was impossible to recognize the bouncing ball of energy from before. Tobio reminded himself that none of Hinata's excitement had been directed at him.

"I came to look at the contract," said Tobio.

Hinata clutched his hand to his chest, blood drainging from his face. Tobio frowned and looked away from the terrified eyes locked on him. Fear didn't look right on the boy's face and it made his insides twist. He glared at the ground, willing away the odd ache in his chest. Hinata should fear him. Despite their connection as children, Tobio was and always would a demon.

A breeze crawled into his jacket and Tobio pulled up the collar. He suppressed a shiver and shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Should I lend you my clothes this time too?" asked Hinata with a hesitant smile.

Tobio's eyes flicked to the human, and his brows knitted. He couldn't tell if the human was attempting friendliness or making fun of him. "I... What do you expect? It's colder here than in the demon realm. I was only a kid when I came here the first time."

"So, you do remember?" Hinata sat up straighter, no longer leaning away from him. He almost looked...hopeful.

"I never forgot," said Tobio. He frowned at the way Hinata stared at him. "How was I to recognize you with all that stupid smoke and no lights?"

Hinata let out a sudden, loud laugh. It wasn't a cruel laugh aimed to hurt him. The noise hung in the air and wormed straight into his chest. "Sorry. I was just following ritual."

"Your ritual was shit. The contract called me in the end."

"Oh, right!" Hinata shoved his hand.

Tobio forgot about the contract for a moment and stared at the hand. Part of him didn't want to look at the contract again, but he needed take a closer look. He took Hinata's hand in his own, trying to gauge how much pressure to use. He'd only touched a human a few times before, but he knew how fragile they were; Hinata still had bruise from when Tobio grabbed him the first time. Hinata's hand was so small in his, and one squeeze could snap all the bones in his fingers.

At his touch, the contract flared up. He stared at the smokey edges, trying to discern the terms. As far as he could see, there was nothing to it, which explained a few things--like why he never felt a call from Hinata before.

"Well?" Hinata's fingers twitched slightly.

"I own your soul." Tobio brought his gaze to Hinata. The boy's eyes grew wide and his face pale. He unconsciously tightened his hand around Hinata's. "Don't faint."

"I'm not going to!" Color didn't return to his face. "It's just a lot to take in."

Tobio glanced at the hand laying in his. He dropped it and leaned away. "I'm not going to take your soul."

Relief accompanied by shock crossed Hinata's face. "Really?"

"I don't need it now. I'll collect when you die." Tobio stood. He had no reason to stay with the terms, though unofficial, sorted out.

"Nice to know you'll be the last thing I see," said Hinata. The grin on his face was teasing.

Even as Tobio glared, heat crawled up his neck. He hadn't expected Hinata to say something like that. "That's not a good thing, you dumbass."

"You're right. Seeing you frown would definitely make my death more painful." Hinata stuck his tongue out and pulled down the skin of his eye.

Tobio finally gave into the urge nagging at him since morning. Faster than Hinata could stop him, he grabbed the human's head and gave it a careful but firm squeeze. "Don't make me regret pardoning you."

"Ow! Let go!" Hinata pushed at his hand and frowned, but there was laughter in his eyes.

"Brat." He withdrew his hand. Whatever game the human was playing, Tobio felt he was somehow losing.

"That really hurt. My head is still recovering from when you threw me against the wall." Hinata pouted.

Tobio scowled deeply. He hadn't meant to throw the human so hard last time, but he'd gotten angry after Hinata threw the potion. "Did that really hurt you?"

"Well, yeah." Hinata look up at him with a small frown. "We can't all be nearly indestructible."

"I know that!" Tobio crossed his arms and glared at Hinata. "It's what you get for ruining my shoes."

"Oh! Sorry about that whole trying to vanquish you thing." The smile was back on Hinata's face. "If I'd known it was you, I wouldn't have thrown the potion."

"You're a sucky demon hunter." Before Hinata could argue, Tobio continued speaking. " _But..._ I guess I'm sorry too for throwing you against the wall. I wouldn't have done it if you hadn't soaked my shoes in fucking demon repellent."

"That's what that was! I was wondering why you didn't burst into flames or something cool like that."

"You really are stupid--or is your mentor incompetent?"

Hinata glance away, his smile faltering. "Well...I don't actually have a mentor."

He stared at Hinata, unable to comprehend the sheer idiocy of the human in front of him. Hinata obviously had enough magical talent to summon him, but the fact he tried without any idea what he was doing blew Tobio's mind.

"Don't look at me like that! I know it was stupid." Hinata looked down at the ground. Shame reddened his cheeks.

"Don't ever do that again." The fierceness in his voice made him pause. Tobio frowned and forced himself into a colder tone; the other sounded too personal. "That wasn't just stupid. Anyone else would have possessed your body and eaten you from the inside out."

Hinata looked up at him, wide-eyed. Alarm flicker in his eyes, before he cast them to the ground. The boy didn't say a word, and Tobio began to fear he said something wrong.

Slowly, Tobio set his hand on Hinata's head again. He only wanted the human to lift his head, but his magic had other things in mind. It curled in his palm and Tobio made no move to stop it from travelling from his hand into Hinata.

The boy's head jerked up, and Tobio pulled his hand back quickly. His eyes were wide with a completely different emotion than fear.

"Did you..."

"I need to leave." Tobio slid a glamour into place and disappeared from Hinata's sight. The boy half stood, calling to him. Hinata sighed and sat back down. His hand came to press against his side, where a cracked rib once pained him.


	4. Chapter 3

He was wandering again. There was nowhere he needed to be and there was certainly no reason to go home. So, he just wandered and let his thoughts filter to nothing.

The surface was a good place to think about nothing. He could walk without getting second glances. No one ever challenged him to a fight. Best of all, the night was actually dark and quiet.

A night on the surface almost made him happy—or at least, relaxed. The air was still and heavy. It gathered close with the shadows, surrounding him in a comforting blanket of black.

People were scarce in the alleys he took. Many were at bars or in their homes. Tobio avoided those places and the roads leading to them. He wasn't in the mood for a meal and humans would only ruin the relative peace in his mind.

Unfortunately, even taking dark roads couldn't isolate him completely.

At the end of one alley, a group of men leaned against the walls. There were beer cans all around them, and they passed a pack of cigarettes around. They cracked dirty jokes to each other, progressively getting worse as one tried to out do the other.

Tobio looked them over with quiet indifference and kept walking. They took no notice to his approach.

One of the men glanced towards the street and nudged the guy next to him. "Look at that kid. You think he's a foreigner?"

"I dunno. That's some hair, though," replied the man.

Now, all the men were looking at the street. Their heads turned to follow the unfortunate person who caught their attention. By one suggestion or another, they agreed to go find out if the person was indeed a foreigner. Rising up, beer forgotten on the ground, they staggered out of the alley.

He considered walking the other way, but trailed after the men as a second thought. Tobio sensed a possible death in the near future, though the men seemed like a few harmless drinks. However, a situation could easily get out of hand, and with Tobio there, it likely would. He didn't need the soul, but there was nothing better to do. The men would do all the work for him. At most, he may shove someone into a knife or down the stairs.

Ahead of them walked what looked like a young boy. He carried a bag at his side and wore a hat over his head. Flashes of orange escaped from the hat, moving with the night breeze. As if sensing the men coming towards him, the boy walked faster.

The group of men gathered around the boy. They asked him questions in both Japanese and badly worded English. The boy only ignored them and kept waking.

One of the men made the mistake of touching a strand of orange hair. It spooked the boy and he smacked the offending hand away.

"Don't touch me!"

Tobio froze where he stood. What should have been a voice of a stranger resonated in his head. It triggered the next few moments to happen in his mind.

The men would crowd around Hinata, laughing and trying to touch his hair. Hinata would struggle and strike out against the men. One would finally get frustrated with Hinata's struggles and make a necklace with his hands. The boy would kick and claw until he finally stopped moving. Realizing what they did, the men would run and leave Hinata in the street. That warm light that lived in the boy would disappear and be lost to him forever.

Before he knew what he was doing, Tobio let his glamour drop and appeared behind the men. "Oi!"

Everyone turned to face him. Five faces wore mirrored expressions of surprise and confusion. Hinata was caught on the first syllable of his name and couldn't get past it.

"Is this your foreigner?" The men took one look at him and stepped back.

Hinata bolted from between the men and dove behind Tobio.

"Sorry, sorry." The men bowed and stumbled past them. It would've been comical if Tobio didn't know what would have happened.

He watched the men until they disappear into their alley. Once they were gone, Tobio walked away.

"Hey, wait!" Hinata jumped to keep up with him.

"What?" Tobio stole a glance at Hinata. His hat was a little off, but the boy was very much alive. Hinata's light was still intact and pulsing from the excitement. Tobio let out a breath he'd been holding and slowly released the tension from his shoulders. Seeing Hinata possible death got him worked up in ways he didn't understand and tried not to think about.

"I want to thank you."

"Don't mention it," he said gruffly. It wouldn't be good if it spread around that he saved a human from death twice. He'd be the laughingstock of the demon realm, and the target on his back would only grow.

"But that was really cool! You just appeared from nowhere and you had this really scary expression on your face." Hinata jumped in front of him and walked backwards. He twisted his face into a poor representation of Tobio's. "No wonder those guys ran scared."

"Why are you even out this late?" He glared at the boy bouncing in front of him. "This isn't a good neighborhood."

"I was coming from a friend's house." Hinata's lips pulled into a pout and he took the spot next to Tobio. "If it's so bad, why are you here?"

"I'm walking."

"Oh... That's oddly normal." The boy's shoulders sagged and he stole glances he thought Tobio wouldn't notice.

"Is there a problem with that?" He scowled and shoved his hands into his pockets. "I like walks."

"Don't get defensive," said Hinata. The boy gave a playful bump with his shoulder. "I just figured you'd be doing more than walking."

Tobio watched the sidewalk and avoided another bump from Hinata. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not always looking for souls."

An almost peaceful silence fell over them, not unlike the peace he got from walking alone. Yet, there was someone next to him. Tobio was more than aware Hinata was there. Each breath he took was like the ticking of a clock, counting away each second until it stopped. Somehow, it cleared his mind better than silence.

"You know... I didn't think I'd see you again so soon." Hinata looked over at him. Hinata's exhaustion had finally caught up with him, and Tobio unconsciously walked slower. Hinata's glow wavered at the edges and reached out in thin tendrils.

"Neither did I." Tobio clenched his hands to keep from grasping a piece of Hinata's glow. It was tempting, but he didn't feel like dimming Hinata's light.

They stopped in front of HInata's house and the boy turned to him. "I always thought demons were evil, but you're not so bad."

"Is that suppose to be a compliment?"

Hinata grinned up at him and nodded.

"Dumbass." He reached out and flicked a bit of Hinata's energy back into him.

The boy clutched his forehead. "You did something weird again!"

"No, I didn't." Tobio stepped away. "I'm leaving now."

"Bye." Hinata gave a cheery wave and smiled at him. If he found anything wrong with directing his smile at Tobio nothing in his face said so.

Tobio let the shadows wrap around him, but he didn't walk away until Hinata was inside his home.

...

The bed caught him in its soft embrace and smelled of fresh detergent. He pressed his face into the fabric, breathing despite the stifling material. Beside him, the bed dipped and moved as Kenma climbed on it. When Shouyou looked up, his friend was settled comfortably against the headrest. He climbed up towards Kenma and flopped down with a loud sigh.

Kenma didn't look up from his game. "What's wrong?"

"There's nothing wrong." Shouyou rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. "Where's Kuroo?"

"Out. He'll probably be back soon," said Kenma to a question he didn't ask.

"Shouldn't you keep a closer eye on him?" He rolled again and looked at Kenma. All he could see was a curtain of dyed hair. "Won't he get in trouble?"

"Kuro can take care of himself." Kenma aimed a piercing stare over his game. It scanned over him before returning to his game. "You're restless."

"I have some extra energy."

"You said you were tired."

Shouyou groaned and rolled off the bed entirely. "I just met someone and I keep thinking about them."

"Do you like them?" His friend stole glances at him.

"I don't know. He's a huge jerk, but I think he's just awkward or something... I can't figure out what he's thinking. He's suppose to act a certain way, but he doesn't." He sat up and rested his chin on the bed. Kenma was still playing his game, but his eyes flicked often to Shouyou. "Do you know someone like that?"

"Kuro," replied Kenma without hesitation.

"But he isn't anything like Kuroo." He buried his face into the bed and groaned. "Help me, Kenma. Tell me what to do."

"Ask him out."

"What!" Shoyou jumped up so fast, he startled Kenma. "I don't want to date him!"

Kenma relaxed back against the headrest and turned back to his game. "It sounds like you do."

It took everything in him not to spew his guts right there. "I wouldn't date him unless I had a death wish."

"Then, why are you asking me for advice?"

"Because you got foresight." Shouyou crawled up on the bed and pressed his cheek against Kenma's leg. "Can't you take a peek and tell me what to expect?"

Kenma's fingers paused over the controls, but his eyes stayed glued to the screen. His friend wasn't tense, just still as he contemplated Shouyou's request. The boy finally moved, if only to shut his game. "I don't need to look ahead to know what will happen."

"Really?" Shouyou sat up. He didn't think Kenma had already gotten to the point of seeing futures without ritual.

"His friend nodded and plugged his game in to charge. "Whatever you want to happen, will happen."

Shouyou collapsed on the bed, groaning out his frustration. Leave it to Kenma to give a cryptic message and sell it as a fortune. "That's the problem... I don't know what I want."

Another voice chimed in. "Perhaps, food will help decide."

Kuroo stood in the doorway, wearing his trademark grin. Kenma had already slipped out of the room under Kuroo's arm. He jumped up, feeling a smile lift his spirits.

The smell of food helped him forget the worry that knotted in his gut, but it still lingered in the back of his mind. Shouyou had no clue how to deal with Kageyama, and he couldn't just ask what to do either. Anyone in their right mind would tell him to hire a Hunter. If it was any other demon, he would have, but something didn't feel right about having Kageyama hunted down.

"Food is on the table." Kuroo broke his thoughts with a nudge towards the living area.

Kenma was already there. His hair was pulled back in a low ponytail, though a few strands had escaped the band. He kept his eyes on the table and his mouth pulled into a small frown.

"You're thinking too much," said Kenma as Shouyou sat down.

"Oh... Sorry?" He gave a sheepish smile and accepted the chopsticks handed to him.

Kuroo finally joined them and they dug into the take out he brought.

Shouyou managed to stop thinking about Kageyama for all of two seconds. He threw down his chopsticks with a huff of annoyance. His friends didn't look up from their food.

"That's it. I've decided what to do."

"Oh?" Kenma glanced at him.

"Oho?" Kuroo smirked at him, basking in the annoyed look Kenma sent him.

"Yep, I'm going to be that guy's friend—whether he likes it or not," declared Shouyou. He picked up his chopsticks again and stabbed a dumpling.

Kenma shared a glance with Kuroo, and looked at him. "I'm sure you'll be good friends then."

"I don't know about that..." He waved his chopsticks, almost flinging the dumpling at Kuroo. "Whatever. Let's just hope he doesn't kill me first."

The two shared another glance and returned to the meal.


	5. Chapter 4

 

He was half way to work when Kageyama appeared in front of him. There was no time to stop and Shouyou ran face first into a hard chest. He wheeled back, trying to ignore the smell of fire in his nose.

"Watch it!"

Kageyama frowned. As usual, he was dressed for colder weather. His jacket was zipped all the way up with his scarf tucked into it. He even wore boots--like he needed the extra height.

"You look so scary wearing all black." Shouyou shuddered, like a chill crawled up his spine.

"Shut up!" Kageyama moved to grab his head.

He dodged away, laughing. If Kageyama really wanted, there was nothing he could do to stop the demon from grabbing his head. However, Kageyama never forced the contact, and Shouyou was grateful for that. As they were, he could mostly pretend Kageyama was human--if he didn't think about his penchant to appear from thin air.

"So, what are you doing here?" Shouyou wandered his way closer again, smiling with ease.

"I was in the neighborhood," said Kageyama. That may have been true the first few times, but they met too often now for it to be mere whim.

"What are you doing today?" A big grin split his face and Shouyou didn't even try to contain it. These "chance" meetings always felt like stolen time. They never lasted long, but Shouyou savored them.

Kageyama scowled. "Nothing. If I get bored, I'll check on a few contracts."

He tried not to think of the people behind Kageyama's all-encompassing term. The demon never spoke in detail of the things he did; probably out of consideration for Shouyou. He didn't know whether to be grateful or annoyed at such consideration.

"Why do you even come up here if you don't do anything?" Shouyou stared up at Kageyama. There were still many things he didn't know about the demon--things he would have already found out about his other friends. Some questions seemed ridiculous to ask a demon; others, he was afraid to know the answers.

Kageyama shrugged and got that closed expression he got sometimes. Shouyou considered backing off and pushing away the walls with something lighter, but he was curious. "What do you do after you leave here?"

The demon stared at him, contemplating what to say. Light caught in the blue of his eyes, showing off the glint that reminded him of what Kageyama was. "I go home."

Shouyou repressed a shiver. "Home" was another thing Kageyama didn't talk about, and he was too afraid to ask about it.

A passing person said time to their friend. Shouyou let out a shout and checked his phone.

"I'm going to be late to work!"

Anything Kageyama said was lost on him. Shouyou took off at full sprint down the sidewalk. He cut across the road, narrowly avoiding being hit by a car. Once he made it to the other side, a hand jerked him to a stop.

"You idiot! Don't just run out into traffic."

"Daichi will kill me! I'm too young to die." He futilely pulled against Kageyama's grip.

His world up-ended itself and something hard dug into his gut. It knocked the breath out of him and Shouyou found himself staring at concrete. The ground quickly receded from him and wind screamed around him. He didn't realize the screaming was his own until Kageyama shouted for him to stop.

Once he shut his mouth and looked past the tears in his eyes, everything stopped. He'd never been so high up before. Shouyou started screaming again, but for a whole new reason.

They were _flying_.

His stomach flipped as their momentum changed. The flight ended far too quickly for his liking. They dropped down by the back door, scaring a few of the cats hanging around the trashcans.

Kageyama set him down with too much gentleness and left Shouyou a little colder for it. He tried not to think about, nor did he think about the ease the demon carried him with. Both were annoying thoughts that would only distract him.

"We have too do that again!" he called over his shoulder and darted through the door.

Suga was there already, quickly helping him into an smock. "What happened to you? You're a mess."

"I ran here." Shouyou tucked his shirt in from where the wind had pulled it out. He scurried out into the store front just as Daichi walked through the door.

"Oh, good. You're here early for once." Daichi set the boxes he'd been carrying on the counter. "I got some charms from Kiyoko. Put them on the shelves.

From the look on Daichi's face, the witch had driven a hard bargain. Shouyou jumped to work, glad to have avoided any wrath. He'd have to thank Kageyama for the lift.

However, the real challenge was putting the charms in the right place. Shouyou wasn't the best with runes. No one had ever taught him more than the basics and there were just too many to remember.

As he settled down to work, a gaze settled on his shoulders. He tried to ignore it. It'd been following him more and more lately. The weight didn't feel bad, but he didn't really know. Shouyou could only hope he didn't piss off another pixie.

...

He laid on the bookshelf with a charmed book floating over his face. Hinata had spent an hour on organizing charms and was still at it. The boy's knowledge of charms and runes was unsurprisingly lacking. Suga would help him every now and again when Hinata was especially stumped, but he mostly stayed in the back to help Daichi with potions.

"Does he know you're following him?"

Tobio's eyes shifted from the book down to the concerned face looking up at him. So far, Suga had let him be with nothing more than an ever-watchful stare. "Does it matter? I'm here, because your books aren't complete shit."

"Does he at least know who you are?" Suga's concern only grew. That look both annoyed and made Tobio guilty.

"Of course." Tobio turned back to his book. As a second thought, he added, "I'm not here to hurt him."

"Then, what are you here for? I doubt Daichi would let you stay if I told him you were here." Suga shook his head at him, disapproving in the worse way.

"He lets you stay," said Tobio. It was an unfair statement, but he said it partially because he didn't care enough not to. A small part of him wanted to see how Suga would react.

"That's different and you know it." Suga's voice dipped colder. "I need to know why you're here."

Tobio shivered despite himself. Suga was no threat to him, yet there was an underlying promise that made him believe Suga wouldn't go down easily. "I'm waiting for him to get off work."

Suga blinked up at him, openly surprised. "Why?"

"I don't know. It's not like I have anything better to do." Tobio turned the page of his book. It was the end of the book. He plucked it out of the air and handed it to Suga, but he didn't let go. Their eyes locked and the air crackled. "Don't interfere. He belongs to me."

Suga's eyes widened, turning from their natural coloring to dark gold. The human glamour wavered, revealing a short horn and blunt claws. Suga jerked his hand away and the glamour snapped back in place. The man trembled.

"Sorry." Tobio put the book in the shelf and turned away from the half-creature. It wasn't the optimal way of reminding Suga of his place, but it was the easiest.

Suga drew back, staring up at him. "Who are you?"

Hinata peered down the aisle. "Are you talking to yourself again, Suga?"

"I'm not talking to myself," replied Suga with gentle exasperation. He slipped easily back into the part of human, revealing nothing of his earlier slip. "Just because you can't see him, doesn't mean he isn't there."

"Cool!" Shouyou bounced closer and peered around. "Where is he? What is he?"

Suga glanced up at him, and Tobio waited for Suga to out him. The man shook his head. "He already left. Have you finished those charms?"

The boy grimaced. "I'm almost done."

Once Hinata left, Suga turned back to him. "Well?"

"Tobio Kageyama." He peered down at Suga. "There are better ways to stabilize your form."

"I know." Suga smiled, almost sad. "I rather keep my humanity."

Tobio nodded. He didn't understand Suga's struggle, but he knew about wanting to hold something he couldn't keep. Suga was doomed to eventually lose his humanity, no matter how hard he fought. That was the bane of a half-demon.

Suga disappeared into the back room. Tobio trusted him not to take any action. His form was too unstable to exert the amount of power it would take to fight him without losing control completely. Suga didn't seem like a fighter and he rather not kill Hinata's friend.

Tobio slid from the bookshelf and wandered through the aisles. Each shelf was stuffed with potions and odd ingredients, neatly labeled with names and purposes. He replaced the cage over a flight potion trying to float away. Hinata forgot to replace it when he sold one of them to a fairy with her wing in a cast.

He came to a stop behind Hinata, looking at all the misplace charms. It was almost amazing how wrong the boy was. Hinata put a luck charm with the strength charms, though they looked completely different.

"I know you're there." Hinata glanced over his shoulder, scanning the area behind him. "I can't see you, but Suga can. He's in the back room."

Hinata turned back to his work. Tobio let the glamour drop and smirked. "Some help you are."

The human jumped up quicker than he'd seen him move before. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see what kind of place would hire you." He stepped forward and rearranged some of the charms.

"Hey!" Hinata pouted, but didn't question his changes. "I have many great qualities."

"This is a potion shop. You can't even read runes." Tobio moved a few more charms. "You seem a bit out of your league here."

An embarrassed flush reddened Hinata's cheeks. There was fire in his eyes and genuine anger in his voice. "I'm learning."

Tobio looked away. He didn't mean to offend Hinata. "I can...Do you want help?"

The anger disappeared with surprise and Hinata peered at him. "Would you?"

He nodded, and a smile broke out on Hinata's face. The human pulled him to sit on the ground and took charm off the wall. "Start with this one."

He picked up one of the paper slips, careful to keep his magic from tainting the pure magic in the runes. "These aren't complicated charms. You read them from top to bottom. Most of them start with this first rune, 'to gather.'"

"That explains a lot..." Hinata sat close to him, eyes focused with rapt interest. Tobio tried not to blush at the attention.

"The second rune means strength."

"Oh! Do this one next." Hinata shoved a few more paper slips at him. Tobio went through them all, explaining each and its multiple readings. He didn't mind teaching Hinata. Hearing his noises of understanding were far more amusing than wandering the city for people to trick.

"You sure know a lot about this." Now knowing what everything was, Hinata reorganized all the charms.

"What do you think contracts are written in? I have to know a lot about this," said Tobio and rolled his eyes.

A hand grabbed his and another was shoved in his face. Hinata's contract wavered in front of him, shivering like it would blow off his skin with the slightest gust of breath. "What does this one mean?"

Tobio's eyes flicked between the bright face staring at him and the smokey rune and he pulled his hand from Hinata's. "It's...hard to explain. It has multiple meanings."

Hinata pouted. "At least, tell me its name. Then, I can ask Suga about it later."

He scowled. There was no human translation. " _Unnu_."

The boy shuddered and clutched his hand. The rune jumped against his skin.

"It's everything and nothing." Hinata wasn't looking at him, instead tracing the back of his hand. "It also means rebirth and eternity--depending on the context."

"In this context?" Hinata tapped his hand.

Tobio stared at him, trying to decipher the emotion behind his eyes. He was bad with human emotion and even worse at using it to his advantage. "It's not that hard to figure out. It's an empty contract that gives everything to me and nothing to you."

Hinata dropped his eyes to the ground. His fingers rubbed insistently over the back of his hand. Whatever his thought were, Hinata kept them in his head.

He didn't endure Hinata's brooding long before he was forced to stand. The boy looked up at him. "Are you leaving?"

"Maybe," he said for Hinata to take however he wanted. There was still no pressing place for him to be. If he did "leave", it would probably be back to the bookshelf.

"See you later, I guess..." Hinata stood, but there was hesitation in his face. "You should come by the shop again. I don't know if you need anything like this, but...you know."

Tobio raised a brow, frowning to cover the smile threatening his composure. "They really didn't hire you for your sale pitch."

"Shut up." Hinata laughed and smacked his shoulder.

The pleasant sound was enough to make him tense. Warmth lingered in his chest, not unlike the residual energy from absorbing a soul. "When do you get off?"

A smile split across Hinata's face, blinding and bright. There was excitement in his face as he took a step closer. "At four. Why?"

"You should meet someone I know. He doesn't have a student."

Hinata's eyes widened and he shoved his face in Tobio's. His eyes were incredibly bright, lit by his natural light, and his glow reached out to him. "Are you serious? This isn't a joke, right?"

"No--" Tobio threw himself back, barely escaping in time to avoid Hinata's flailing arms and untamed energy. The human nearly fell forward when the body he'd been aiming for disappeared. Hinata looked at him and laughed.

Tobio's face went red. He slapped the glamour on so hard, there was an audible clap of magic as he disappeared.

...

Hinata zoomed through the shop, hurrying through his work with reckless abandon. On days like these, it was more exhausting to watch him than amusing. Though, his exhaustion may have been from the little episode with the demon earlier.

Suga sighed and went upstairs. It took more effort than usual to climb each step. Especially with a large part of him trying to claw the out of his skin. Parts of him fell away, revealing patches of darkened scales and rough skin.

Somehow, he managed to make it upstairs and to the kitchen. They'd just restocked the fridge with his potions, thankfully. He took out one of the small vials and downed it in one big gulp.

The pounding in his body faded away, and the glamour was firmly back in place. Suga let out a relieved breath and leaned against the counter. Losing control was the last thing he needed. He hadn't had an episode in years due to sheer will power and the help of Daichi's potions. To think, contact with a full-blooded demon could almost shatter his tenuous hold so easily.

Suga couldn't imagine surviving being touched by a demon, let alone fight one. He would, undoubtedly, do just that if Hinata was in danger. However, Suga believed the demon Kageyama when he said he wasn't there to hurt Hinata. The demon had no reason to lie to him. Suga had no illusions of how he'd fair in a fight against Kageyama. The difference of power between them was so painfully obvious.

Footsteps on the stair straightened him up. Suga plastered on a smile just as Daichi entered the room. From the frown on his face, he didn't buy Suga's act for a second.

"What happened?" Daichi closed the distance between them, his eyes glancing at the vial in his hand.

"I have it under control." Suga let his smile relax into something more natural. With Daichi there, all his bad feelings faded from overwhelming to manageable.

Though without a full explanation, Daichi nodded his understanding. The worry didn't leave his eyes completely, but the crease between his eased. "Do you want to tell me about it?"

Suga let out a long sigh. "Hinata started an unlikely friendship with a demon."

Daichi's eyes grew wide as he took in the information. Worry returned anew with a small amount of amusement. "Somehow, I'm not even surprised."

"Well, it is Hinata." Suga let out a chuckle. He'd been surprised to see a demon walk in behind Hinata. He'd been even more surprised to find the demon watching the boy with bored interest. When Kageyama actually started keeping Hinata from breaking potions, Suga thought he lost it. "I don't think he's a threat."

"Then, why is he here?" Daichi scowled. Suga could see Daichi wondering if it was worth spending money on a Hunter to rid them of the demon.

"I honestly think he's just bored." Suga let out another chuckle.

"He must be one of the worst demons on earth--or the laziest." A small smile finally tugged at Daichi's lips. "But you tell me if that changes. I have Ryuu's number for a reason."

"I'll keep you updated." Suga took a moment to step closer and enjoy Daichi's presence. Fresh herbs filled his nose, and he burrowed deeper into the scent. Daichi always smelled like herbs, and he loved it. Suga could pick out the sharp smell of rosemary and subtler hints of rose.

"Love potions again?"

Daichi's voice rumbled lowly out into the air. "Lev asked for one. Didn't want the usual cheap ones."

"He didn't want someone to obsess over him for a week?" Suga snickered. Daichi wasn't stupid enough to sell true love potions.

"He said something about the person having to like him a little for those to even work. I'm making a potion that eases some of the bad feelings."

Suga outright laughed. Leave it to Lev to want a potion to stop someone from hating him. "He's lucky Kozume is a good costumer. I don't know why'd we bother with him otherwise."

"He gives us a lot of business. I just feel bad for whoever he's after now." Daichi chuckled.

He smiled, basking in the warmth. His good feelings came to an abrupt halt. "Did you leave Hinata alone?"

Daichi opened his mouth to defend himself, but a loud crash from downstairs interrupted him. They were running down the stairs in seconds. Suga smiled the entire time.

 

 


	6. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a bitch to edit. Like whole scenes were rewritten.
> 
> I think I will take a break from posting weekly to build up chapters again. Or I may post every two weeks. We'll see how writing goes.

He sprinted out the back door and into the alleyway. It was empty. Shouyou looked around and pouted. He knew Kageyama was somewhere nearby. Some unknown feeling told him so—or the fact, Kageyama was never far away.  
  
"Boo," said a voice right next to his ear.   
  
Shouyou let out a scream and leaped away. He whirled around with a glare. Kageyama pressed a hand over his mouth and snickered.   
  
"You jerk!" He threw a punch at Kageyama, which the demon easily avoided.   
  
"Maybe I should just leave you here." Kageyama frowned, but his eyes laughed at him.   
  
"That's mean," he whined.   
  
"Should you expect any less?" The demon walked past him and out the alley.   
  
He rushed after him. "Don't just walk away!"   
  
"We have to catch a subway to get there. I don't want to waste time." Kageyama walked fast, and would have left Shouyou behind if he didn't run to keep up.   
  
"Why bother with a subway?"   
  
Kageyama snapped his head to look at him, and Shouyou grinned. "No. Don't even think about it."   
  
"You're no fun! It was really cool flying like that." Shouyou crossed his arms. He was pouting.   
  
"We weren't flying, idiot." Kageyama's eyebrow twitched and he glared. "And you screamed the whole way."   
  
"I did not! I shouted, because someone picked me up without warning." He tilted his head up to glare at Kageyama. The demon was annoyingly tall and it hurt his neck to keep it craned.   
  
As if sensing his discomfort, Kageyama leaned down closer to Shouyou's level. He wasn't glaring, but his eyes tore into him. Shouyou refused to back down the stormy sea that threatened to drown him. The longer he stared, the more he felt he was on a dingy in a rough ocean. Waves crashed and battered him from all sides. He was trapped and half-drowned, but he somehow survived each wave.   
  
Kageyama straightened up, more annoyed than anything else. "You really want to try that again?"   
  
Shouyou sucked in a quick breath he'd been holding and gathered his wits. "Yeah. Except without being throw over your shoulder like a sack."   
  
The demon snorted and bared his teeth in something like a grin. "Shall I carry you on my back like a child, then?"   
  
He flushed. "It's better than the other way."   
  
"If you say so." Kageyama turned away and crouched, showing him his back.   
  
He froze, not expecting Kageyama to give in so easily. Shouyou forced his legs forward and climbed onto Kageyama's back. Hands came to grip his thighs and Kageyama stood. Shouyou clung the demon's shoulder to keep from falling back.   
  
"You're going to fall off like that. Wrap your arms around me." Kageyama bounced him higher up on his back and squeezed his thighs hard enough to be painful.   
  
Shouyou still hadn't gotten over how easily Kageyama stood up. A part of him was jealous of the demon's strength, another part feared it. He dug his fingers into the shoulders beneath his hands, annoyed at the muscle there. It wasn't fair that Kageyama grew into a tall, brawny monster, and Shouyou was still a scrawny kid in comparison.   
  
"Hey! Wrap your arms around me."   
  
"I heard you the first time." He moved his hands down and linked them across Kageyama's chest. "There. Happy?"   
  
"Shut up, dumbass." Kageyama's ears were red, and the insult was weak.   
  
He stared at the red blush spanning from his ears to under Kageyama's shirt. "Are you blushing?"   
  
Muscles under him bunched and their momentum changed. Shouyou couldn't help the scream that the wind tore from his mouth. Their upward motion slowed and his stomach did a flip. He gathered just enough courage to lift his head from where he'd hidden his face against Kageyama.   
  
The city was far below. He could still see the people and cars zooming by, but they looked more like toys than the real thing. He whooped with excitement, yelling into Kageyama's ear about all the things he could see. The demon only growled at him to shut up.   
  
Kageyama caught the roof of a skyscraper and ran along it. At the edge, he leapt off without so much as hesitating. They were flying even higher, and he could see the whole city under them, gleaming like a jewel. Shouyou could only stare and wonder at how something so big could look so small.   
  
Shouyou's stomach did another flip as they turned earthward again. Kageyama didn't jump upwards from the next building. He slipped from roof to roof, slowly losing altitude. They soared between buildings until the flat roofs of shops gave way to the slanted roofs of residential homes.   
  
Kageyama still moved with unnatural ease, unhindered by the change in footing. They finally dropped down to the ground and scared a cat snooping around some garbage cans.   
  
The neighborhood around them was in a poorer district than he lived in. Knocked over garbage cans spilled trash into the street. The houses were on the side of destitute. Many needed a new coat of paint and new name plates.   
  
Shouyou slid off Kageyama's back and touched his feet to the ground. A dog barked in the yard next to him and Shouyou climbed Kageyama with a small shout.   
  
"Get off me." Kageyama pulled him off by the back of shirt.   
  
"Where have you brought me? I get bad vibes." He hid behind Kageyama and peeked around. Shouyou wasn't lying about the bad vibes. The whole area reeked of magical energy. He could feel it in the air, sticking to his skin and crawling into his lungs.   
  
The demon rolled his eyes and stepped away. He walked down the street and forced Shouyou to follow or be left on his own. The street just got worse; the magic growing thicker the further they went. Shouyou stayed close to the demon—so close he ran into Kageyama's back when he stopped abruptly.   
  
"A witch lives here." Kageyama jerked his chin towards the open gate.   
  
"I don't want to be a witch." He frowned and stared at the gate. Despite the magic all around him, it wasn't coming from the witch's house.   
  
Kageyama glared at him. "I know. Even Hunters need a little magic. Right now, no one's going to take you on. You know that."   
  
Shouyou looked away. He'd been turned away more than once by Hunters for his inexperience. "So? How is a witch going to help?"   
  
"This is a witch who will actually teach you something. Just go in." Kageyama turned up his glare a notch.   
  
He peered through the opening of the gate. The yard inside was just a scrap of dirt, leading up to an abandoned house. "I don't see anything."   
  
"For fucksake. You're lucky I can't go any further than this or I'd drag you in there myself." Kageyama took a threatening step towards him. "Just tell him you have a demon problem."   
  
"Well, you aren't lying."   
  
The demon raised his hand and took another step towards him. There was no other way to escape. Shouyou went the only direction he could and darted through the open gate.   
  
What unfolded in front of him stopped Shouyou in his tracks. Instead of a dead yard, a lush garden covered every inch of open ground. There were little paths in the between the rows of plants, but even they were intruded upon by sprawling stems and leaves. Bushes grew to unruly heights and vines painted the house green.   
  
He walked deeper into the jungle-like garden, not half afraid as he probably should have been. The fresh smell of plant life reminded him of Daichi's potion lab. That put him at ease among the plants he saw everyday at work.   
  
"You're here early." A dark head appeared from behind a bush and the man turned to face him. The smile on his face turned to a look of surprise and the man went into a mild panic. "Oh! I'm sorry. People don't usually just wander in."   
  
"Pardon the intrusion!" Shouyou flushed at himself. He already knew he wasn't doing well. "I...just really like your garden."   
  
"I see... Thank you." The man shifted a basket from one arm to the other. Shouyou caught a glance of the herbs inside.   
  
He frowned at the variety in the basket. Angelica and basil were both great for protection spells, but there was also some sprigs of rosemary and purple lavender among the other herbs.   
  
"Protection or romance potion?"   
  
The man's eyes widened behind his glasses and he flushed. In a bumbling manner, the man said, "I don't make many potions. This is for...something else."   
  
"Do you prefer elixirs then? Is it different when a witch makes potions?" His natural curiosity came buzzing to life. Shouyou's grin spread across his face. He was more comfortable now that they were talking about things he actually knew about.   
  
"I prefer making satchels actually." The man let out a soft laugh. He seemed more comfortable, too. "I make potions every now and again, but they require a lot of work."   
  
"I'm no good at making potions. My boss always chases me out of the kitchen, because I break things."   
  
The man let out a small laugh and smiled at him. "Would you like to watch me make a satchel?"   
  
"Yes!"   
  
"I'm Ittetsu Takeda, by the way." Takeda walked up the steps to his home. The surprise and distrust he met Shouyou with was replaced by a kind, hospitable smile. "I'm a witch, like you guessed."   
  
"I'm Shouyou Hinata, and I'm not anything right now. But my grandmother was a witch." He stepped into the home and took off his shoes.   
  
Herbs permeated the air more heavily than in the garden. The scent only grew headier the further into the house they went. It clogged his throat and made Shouyou sneeze.   
  
Small bundles hung from the ceiling and on the walls. Some were wrapped in paper, glimpses of green peeking through holes in the paper. The bundles turned Takeda's house into a jungle of hanging herbs. None of them came close to his head, but a few brushed Takeda's hair. The home would have seemed claustrophobic, but all the windows were open, letting in light and air.   
  
"For not being anything, you seem to know something about herbs." Takeda set his basket on a small table at the center of the kitchen. Compared to the rest of his home, the kitchen was void of hanging herbs. However, little jars of powders and leaves made up the difference.   
  
"I work in a potion shop. I'm not allowed to help with the potion making, but knowing a little bit about ingredients and things like that is necessary for the job." Shouyou peered at the bottles. Each jar was labeled with the herb it held and the date it was harvested. Shouyou admired the neat handwriting.   
  
"Does a witch need so many herbs?"   
  
Takeda laughed and took the herbs from the basket. "No, no. I give some to the younger witches who live around here."   
  
That explained the sheer amount of magical energy floating around the neighborhood. Young witches tended to release large bursts of energy as they grew into their power. He smiled at knowing there wasn't some weird curse on the neighborhood. "Are you a teacher, then?"   
  
"I'm just here when they need it. I'd hate if they got into trouble trying a spell I could have helped them through." Takeda separated the different herbs and tied them in bundles. He hung them in the doorway of the kitchen, arranging them carefully.   
  
"Please, take a seat. I'll make us some tea." Takeda smiled over his shoulder.   
  
Shouyou thought of his own dalliances with magic and demon summoning. Had any demon other than Kageyama appeared, he would likely be dead. Despite that, he was glad to see Kageyama again. They made good friend as kids and they made good friends now—even if Kageyama was standoffish.   
  
"How did you find this place?" Takeda set down a cup and plate of cookies.   
  
"A friend pointed it out. He said I should come here." Shouyou shoved a cookie in his face. They were good cookies, but his mind was elsewhere. He didn't understand completely why Kageyama brought him here or why he even thought it up. It probably had something to do with his lacking skill in magic. "I don't really know why. I think he trying to help me, but I can never tell what goes through his mind."   
  
Takeda took out a basket of cloth bags and paper squares, and picked out some herbs from his many jars. "Do you need help?"   
  
"Well...I tried some magic that didn't work out so well." Shouyou ate more cookies and avoided looking Takeda in the eye. He didn't want to keep talking about his failure and he couldn't explain it without mentioning Kageyama. Demons were the most hated magical creatures and summoning one was taboo among witches. "What's all this for?"   
  
Takeda gave him a warm smile and didn't press it. "I figured I'd teach you a small protection charm first—Just to get started."   
  
"Okay!"   
  
The witch sat next to him, spreading out the herbs and squares of paper. Takeda showed him how to draw the protection rune on the paper, which was easy enough. It took much longer to gather his magic and put it into the rune. He'd never properly learned to synthesis his magic, picking up what he did know from Daichi, who could only use enough magic to activate a potion. However, Takeda instruction was easy to follow. After he did it once, it got easier every time he did it. A few tries later, he was already better at gathering his magic than Daichi.   
  
They put the charmed papers into the little bags and went through the different herbs. Shouyou happily showed off his knowledge of herbs. He'd picked up just enough from watching Daichi to throw together a decent blend of herbs aimed towards protection. By the end of it, he had a nice smelling satchel.   
  
"Are these any good at protection?" Shouyou held up the small sack. It seemed too small to do anything.   
  
"If they're made right, they can hold off about anything." Takeda smiled kindly and pushed his own satchel at him. "Keep this one as well. It protects against the supernatural."   
  
"Thank you." He gave the other man his biggest smile.   
  
"I'm happy to help."   
  
From behind them, someone stomped through the hanging herbs. "Takeda. Are you back here?"   
  
A man appeared in the kitchen doorway. The herbs hanging there hit him in the forehead and he glared at them in annoyance. He rubbed a hand through the bleached strands of his hair, as if the brush away any dried leaves that may have fallen into his hair. His eyes fell on Shouyou with nothing more than passing interest.   
  
"I have you order right here." Takeda was up quickly and took a neatly wrapped box from the cabinet. "Sleep salts, purification potions, and some all-heal. I threw in a protection charm for you, too."   
  
The man grinned and clapped Takeda on the shoulder. "You know how to keep a man alive."   
  
"Someone has to do it." Takeda smiled with his usual gentleness, though it was tempered with worry. "Just try not to be too reckless."   
  
"You won't be rid of me that easily—not after all the trouble you put me through." The man gave a final squeeze on Takeda's shoulder and headed towards the door. "I got some business with a troll tonight."   
  
Takeda nodded stiffly. "Be careful."   
  
The man missed the worry in Takeda's face and focused on Shouyou. He frowned and looked him over. "If Take's charm doesn't keep that demon away, contact me and I'll take care of it."   
  
All the blood left Shouyou's face and he gripped the table. He opened his mouth to ask how the man knew, but he was already out of the kitchen and gone, leaving nothing but the echo of his words and the faint smell of cigarettes.   
  
Shouyou turned to Takeda, struggling to keep his heart in his chest. "How did he know?"   
  
Takeda worriedly frowned and adjusted his glasses. "There's demonic magic all over you. Didn't you know that?"   
  
He slowly shook his head.   
  
"You need to be careful, Hinata. Demons aren't something to be taken lightly." Takeda drew closer, leaning down to Shouyou's level. His dark eyes met his with gentle compassion. "Whatever it promised isn't worth giving up you soul. And if you continue contact, the demonic magic will taint your own."   
  
Shouyou's eyes were wide and his chest constricted, making it hard to breathe. The way Takeda spoke of Kageyama made him sick—made him want to cover his ears and scream. Kageyama wasn't even a person to Takeda nor to that Hunter. Part of him understood Takeda only meant well and the Hunter was only doing his job, but he couldn't stand the thought of Kageyama being hunted. He'd heard stories; he knew that demons didn't die a merciful death.   
  
"I need to go..."   
  
Takeda frowned, but Shouyou was already running towards the door. He fled into the street and took big gulps of air. Takeda just voiced all the fears lingering in the back of his mind. He hadn't allowed himself to think of them before, but his fears crowded for attention.   
  
Shouyou wasn't stupid. He knew demons were bad, but Kageyama seemed different. The demon had no reason to hurt him or trick him. He already had his soul. Most of all, there was something inexplicably human about Kageyama. He was always so cautious, like he wasn't sure how to act with Shouyou. Every interaction between them was too awkward for Kageyama to be anything but harmless.   
  
After a few moments to calm down, Shouyou looked around. He spotted a dark figure crouched down the street. Kageyama had his hand out, trying to coax a cat closer. The cat hissed and puffed out its fur. The demon dropped his hand and settled for just watching the feline.   
  
He approached slowly and peered at the cat. "How did you get it that scared?"   
  
Kageyama didn't turn his head. "I looked at it."   
  
"That makes sense."   
  
"Shut up." Kageyama glared at him. Being released, the cat ran off across the road.   
  
His face relaxed into an easy smile. It was almost cute to see Kageyama attempts at interactions with the world around him, and it certainly wasn't threatening. He reached a hand down to help Kageyama up.   
  
The demon jerked back, falling on his butt in his haste to get away. Kageyama stood quickly and put distance between them. "That witch gave you a damn charm."   
  
"Wow! It actually works?" Shouyou dug Takeda's charm out of his pocket and held it up.   
  
Kageyama took another step back. "Of course, it works. Now, get rid of it, dumbass."   
  
Shouyou smirked and took a step towards Kageyama. The demon stepped back, watching him with a scowl. He did it again; Kageyama didn't move. Shouyou tried teasing a reaction out of Kageyama. All he got was a stony-faced stare. He wasn't even scowling anymore and just watched him with cold eyes.   
  
He shook the charm at Kageyama. "Did it stop working?"   
  
Kageyama grabbed his wrist and jerked him forward. He fell against the demon, his wrist caught in a crushing grip. His bones creaked and hand went cold from lack of blood flow. He should have started shouting and struggling, but fear kept him silent. Kageyama stared down at him, eyes smoldering with unspoken anger. Shouyou cowered under those eyes, unable to move and unable to look away.   
  
In his hand, the charm grew hot. Burning until he was forced to let go of it. Kageyama released him from his stare and let go of his wrist. Shouyou jerked away, holding his hand close to his chest, and tried to calm the beating of his heart. The demon stepped on the charm and slowly ground his foot against the pavement. Smoke rose, along with the scent of burning herbs, and when Kageyama pulled his foot away, there was nothing of the charm but ash.   
  
Slowly, Kageyama turned back and looked at him. The anger was gone, replaced by a different storm. Thin streams of black blood ran from his nose and dripped down his chin. Kageyama's hand moved to his nose, pressing against it to stop the flow. He wiped away the blood and cleaned his hand off on his jeans, leaving only a black smudge across his lip.   
  
Shouyou swallowed dryly, trying to find words, but Kageyama refused to meet his eyes. He cast his gaze to the ground and swallowed again.   
  
"I'll take you to the station." Kageyama spoke quietly and turned on his heel.   
  
He hurried to keep up with Kageyama. The demon walked like he was trying to lose Shouyou among the narrow streets. A few times, he almost did, but every time Shouyou thought Kageyama left him, he would turn the corner to find him waiting. Kageyama didn't speak. He couldn't tell whether it was out of anger or something else.   
  
After ten minutes of walking, the silence grew too much for him. Shouyou dodged into a convenience store. He could feel Kageyama's annoyed glare on his back and rushed to finish his purchase.   
  
He hurried out, the paper bag warm in his hands. Kageyama stared at the ground, pushing a rock with his foot. At Shouyou's approach, Kageyama turned to continue on the road. He took off in a sprint to get around Kageyama and planted himself in front of the demon. Shouyou shoved the bag at the demon's chest.   
  
Kageyama took the bag with a frown. "Meat buns?"   
  
"Yeah... As an apology."   
  
The frown disappeared and Kageyama's lips parted as if he didn't know what to say. Kageyama closed his mouth and stared into the bag. His eyes stormed, but the frown didn't return. "I shouldn't have acted like I did."   
  
Kageyama reached into the bag and offered him the second bun. Shouyou took it with a smile. They continued walking, munching on their buns in silence. It was comfortable, lacking their usual bickering but not any worse for it.   
  
"How did it go with Takeda?" Kageyama glanced at him when he thought Shouyou wouldn't notice.   
  
Despite their disturbing conversation, he couldn't find it in himself to hate the witch. Takeda was only trying to help. "He was kind."   
  
"What did he say?" There was weight to that question and a pause that asked for answers to different questions.   
  
"Not much... He knew about you."   
  
"I would hope so. Anyone would be able to feel my magic on you." Kageyama stared straight ahead, but he didn't seem disturbed.   
  
Shouyou wondered if he was overthinking it, or maybe Takeda was just trying to scare him. While he contemplated this, Kageyama stared at him. "Do you think we can just go around, flying through the air without some kind of concealment glamour?"   
  
Shouyou let out a relieved laugh. "So, there's nothing to be worried about?"   
  
Kageyama scoffed. "You don't have anything to worry about, idiot. I'm not some fool who lets his magic pour out everywhere. You have that covered."   
  
"Hey!" Shouyou didn't really know what Kageyama meant by that, but he assumed it was insulting.   
  
The demon snickered, turning his face away to hide a smile. Shouyou bumped himself into Kageyama, grinning at his friend's bashfulness. He began chattering on, telling Kageyama about his day at work and the things he learned from Takeda. He even mentioned the strange Hunter who appeared while he was with Takeda. He didn't say anything about the man's offer to solve his demon problem. Kageyama listened patiently for once, nodding along.   
  
Takeda's warning came back to him as he spoke and his words petered out. It was many paces before Shouyou spoke again. He couldn't bring himself to look at Kageyama. "Is there something wrong with us?"   
  
"What are you talking about?" Kageyama looked at him.   
  
"Our kind isn't meant to like each other, right? Why are we so different?" He stopped walking and turned to face Kageyama. "Everything I know about demons doesn't sound like you..."   
  
Kageyama stared at him, his face unreadable, and said nothing for a long time. "You are the one who is different."   
  
He scanned the demon's face, searching for some hint behind his words. Kageyama kept his face painfully blank. "I don't understand."   
  
"You should tell me to go away. If you did, I would leave." Kageyama watched him, gauging his reactions. He took a step forward, leaning down slightly to stare closer. Shouyou took a step back, but not out of fear. His heart beat wildly in his chest, fluttering more like a bird than the organ it should be. He forced himself to look away lest his heart stop completely.   
  
The demon straightened up again and looked away. "You're afraid of me, like you should be—like anyone would be. Yet, you have never once told me to go away."   
  
"I'm not afraid! Not the way you think I'm afraid." Shouyou jumped forward, making up for his earlier retreat by closing the distance. He stared into Kageyama's surprised face. Like before, his heart was trying to beat out of his chest and his mind was on overdrive, but he powered through it in an effort to make Kageyama understand him. "You don't act like you want to hurt me, and I don't want you to go away. But what if something happens? People believe all demons want to kill humans. They want to kill you!"   
  
Kageyama blinked at him. He opened and closed his mouth a few times before he finally shook his head. "Of course, they want to kill me. That's all they know to do with a demon."   
  
"But—”   
  
"I don't understand why you're worrying about something like this. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself." Kageyama frowned, only meeting his gaze in glances. Leave it to Kageyama to be painfully awkward.   
  
Shouyou opened his mouth to likely vomit his feelings again, but Kageyama raised his hand. He hesitantly reached towards his head. Shouyou didn't know whether to duck and run or stay still. His indecision left him frozen as Kageyama's hand descended. The touch was surprisingly soft, lingering only a moment before Kageyama's hand retreated into his pocket.   
  
"Nothing is going to happen to me. Nothing is going to happen to you. I won't let it." Kageyama looked him straight in the eye as he said those words. There was something in the way he spoke that made Shouyou's stomach drop. This wasn't the awkward, angry, annoyed Kageyama he was use to. This Kageyama was serious and confident, like this was one thing he was sure he could do.   
  
He went silent as he processed Kageyama's words—unsure what to say, even less sure what to do. Despite all warnings, he truly believed Kageyama meant what he said and he was beginning to believe what he knew of demons was wrong. Their friendship was proof enough against the stories he'd heard his entire life, and Kageyama's strange promise only solidified the doubts he'd been having for some time now.   
  
"Alright," he said finally.   
  
"Alright?" Kageyama stuck out his lip moodily.   
  
"I'm going to trust you." Shouyou smiled up at Kageyama.   
  
The demon blinked at him, like Shouyou was shining a flashlight in his eyes. Finally, he shook his head and hid a faint smile. "You are an idiot."   
  
"Hey!"


	7. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I changed the title, in case you're wondering. I accidentally gave myself a deadline with the first, and I think the new one better reflects the story.  
> P.S. I always knew I would get around to changing that title.

It was early evening, but the temperature was steadily dropping with the sun. Tobio adjusted the scarf around his neck, failing to keep the wind out completely. Night was approaching fast and it only grew colder.

Hinata looked up from messing with the door in time to see him shiver. "Come inside this time."

He glanced at the human. Hinata wore only a light jacket, unlike Tobio with his woolen coat. "Maybe if you can get the door open."

"It's not my fault it jams!" Hinata pushed himself against it, twisting the handle. With a frustrated huff, Shouyou traced a rune on the door. He pressed his hand against it and the glow around him brightened. The door didn't give way.

After watching Hinata struggle a few more minutes, Tobio stepped forward and pressed his hand to the door. Magic rose up in him, excited by the chance of release. It strained to get past his spell and into the world. Only the smallest stream trickled out. The door swung open.

"Wow! You need to teach me that." Hinata hurried inside, slipping off his shoes and jacket in a flurry of movement.

"Save your magic for more important things," he said to Hinata's back. Tobio took his time stripping off his coat and scarf, looking around at the small apartment. From the entrance hall, he could see Hinata's entire apartment. A single hall led past the bathroom and kitchen, and into the one bedroom. The whole place was oozing Hinata's energy, coating the walls like an invisible layer of paint. In someways, it didn't bother him that Hinata's magic was surrounding him. He was accosted by it nearly everyday, but it was different to invade the place it was strongest.

Hinata popped into his view, taking his attention from magic surrounding him. "Do you want anything to drink? I have water, tea, and juice."

"Do you have milk?" He followed Hinata as he led them down the short hall.

The human gave him an odd look. "No..."

"Then, I don't want anything." Tobio walked past Hinata and into the small bedroom.

There was nothing more in the room than a bed and a desk; not much else would fit. Despite it's small size, the room was bursting with the boy's magic, hanging so thick the walls glowed with it. Hinata kicked a pile of clothes into the closet, rounding to smile at him.

Tobio zeroed in on the picture frames on the shelf. There was line of ash in front of them and a burned down incense. The picture held a man and woman, while the one next to it held a gray lady full of wrinkles. It didn't take much to guess the younger couple were Hinata's parents. The women had the same flaming hair and the man's smile had Hinata's brightness. However, the older woman was a curiosity to him. She was withered and tired in the picture, but there was a light in her eyes that very few held. The same light he saw when Hinata looked at him.

He sensed Hinata near and turned to him. Part of him wanted to ask how they all died, but he didn't dare ask. Something about the way Hinata wouldn't meet his eyes told him he wouldn't like the answer.

"I didn't know you lived alone," said Tobio.

"Well, you can only live with your grandmother for so long." Hinata forced a smile onto his face. "Have you seen any movies lately?"

Tobio allowed the subject change. Hinata's smile made him uncomfortable, and he rather not look at it. "I don't watch movies."

"What!" The false smile gave way to shock and soon a real smile spread across the boy's face. Hinata pointed at him, and Tobio resisted breaking his finger. "We are marathoning every great movie ever. No arguing allowed."

"Why?" He scowled.

"Because I don't have work tomorrow and you are the only friend I haven't had a sleep over with."

There was that word again, and the trust that accompanied it. Tobio shoved down the warmth that filled his chest and flooded his cheeks. Only Hinata could throw him so off balance with one word. "What if I don't want to?"

Hinata grew still and looked up at him like he hadn't considered this. His entire body seemed to deflate. "You don't have to..."

He looked away, guilt gnawing at him. "It's not like I have anything better to do."

The human cowed with delight and dove into the closet. He came back a moment later with his arms full of blankets. Hinata threw the bundle down on the bed and pulled the entire futon onto the floor.

"Throw me that pillow." Hinata pointed to a pillow that had fallen at his feet during the move. Tobio looked down at it and an adorable bird face stared up at him.

"That is not a pillow." Tobio gave the plushie a hard stare and it walked itself over to Hinata.

"Cool! Teach me that spell." Hinata pouted.

"Hasn't Takeda already taught you a basic move spell?"

"Yes! Kind of..."

"You're still throwing shit around, aren't you."

Hinata's pout deepened. "Shut up. It's hard to control."

Tobio had to look away to keep from laughing. When he looked back, Hinata wore a triumphant grin. He glared at that grin, not liking it one bit. "What?"

Hinata laughed and spread out the blankets without answering him. He shifted the blankets and pillows around to form a nest. Once he was done, Hinata turned the grin back on. "What do you think?"

He looked over the pile of blankets. "Didn't know humans nest."

"It's not nesting. It's comfort." Hinata was off again, pulling and tugging a laptop from his desk. He left the boy to it. His knowledge of technology was severely lacking; a fact Oikawa often teased him for. He just wasn't interested in knowing more than necessary.

The boy finished with his fiddling and launched himself into the pile of blankets. He rolled around until he was just another lump in the pile. A hand adjusted the laptop and motioned him to sit.

Tobio sunk down among the pillows and blankets. As Hinata said before, it was comfortable. He pulled a blanket around his shoulders and sunk in among the pillows.

Hinata gave him a satisfied smirk from the bundle of blankets. He tapped randomly at the laptop and it began to make noise.

Tobio was far impressed by the first movie; a horror film. There was too much screaming and monsters popping out of nowhere. He knew from experience that there were far more terrifying things in the world than a pissed off human spirit. However, Hinata wasn't quite so unaffected. Over the course of the movie, he inched close to Tobio. He nearly jumped into Tobio's lap at one of the more gruesome scenes. Hinata's sudden movement startled him more than the movie, and Tobio carefully pushed Hinata off him. The boy stayed close the rest of the movie, only flinching at screams and clutching at the blankets.

The next movie had less screams and more tears. He watched with interest as the humans navigated their trivial emotional issues. In one scene, the characters could go from tears to kissing, and then anger. It was actually hilarious to watch, though Hinata gave him strange looks when Tobio snorted at an especially dramatic scene.

It was far past midnight by the time Hinata finally grew still and his breathing deepened. Tobio shut the laptop and threw the room into darkness with a wave of his hand.

Night crept into the room as lingering noise faded into silence. Tobio laid down and focused on the steady rhythm of Hinata's breathing. When the boy slept, his glow finally calmed enough to remain in his body, living under his skin in wait for morning. Despite getting some peace from Hinata's untamed magic, he still couldn't relax.

Hinata's energy was all around him, absorbed into the walls and floors. Like with the glow surrounding Hinata, it reached out to him and crawled up his skin. His own magic acted as a barrier between him and the intruding magic, but it was slowly driving his crazy. It was hard enough to keep a handle on his own magic, but he was surrounded by firm pressure, constantly brushing at his skin and testing his willpower. He couldn't understand why Hinata's energy was still so unruly. His time spent with Takeda should have calmed it down. That was why he sent Hinata to the witch in the first place.

Tobio sat up, suffocating under the pressure. He fled the room--the building--and into the night air.

The outside was free of Hinata's influence and filled his lungs with clean air. The knot in his chest began to ease some. Tobio checked to make sure no one was around before relaxing completely. He sat down on the steps of Hinata's building to let his magic untangle completely.

Though the knot was gone, cold crept into his chest and surrounded him. He rubbed his arms in an effort to warm them, with no luck. Goosebumps rose up and the shivers set in, but he refused to go back inside just yet.

After a few minutes of sitting, the bushes near him rustled. A black shadow detached itself from the night and drew closer. It wrapped around his ankle, rubbing its body against his pant leg. It meowed.

He stared down at it, too startled to do anything. When the cat meowed again, Tobio lowered a hesitating hand. He didn't expect the brush of breath and cool press of a nose against his fingers. Most cats ran the moment he tried to touch them. He pet the cat carefully, watching as it began to purr. His chest clenched with joy, but all too quickly, that joy went out and his chest grew colder.

Tobio stroked his hand down the cat's back and sighed. "What are you expecting from me?"

A black ear flicked back at him and cat fell silent.

"I'll play along." He rested his hand on the back of the cat's neck. "You want me to tell you my master plan to take Hinata's soul, right? That way you can take that info back to your half-trained prophet and save the day."

The cat moved to run, but Tobio clamped down on his scruff and lifted him up.

"Woah, woah! Hinata will hate you if you kill me," yowled the cat. It twisted in his hand, trying to get a leg around to claw him.

"And?" Tobio watched the cat struggle and tightened his grip. He was relying on the fact the shapeshifter probably thought he didn't care about Hinata's feelings.

"He would never let himself be contracted to a demon who killed his friend." The cat bared its teeth, thinking he had the upper hand. "He'd have you killed."

He ignored the threat. "Answer me a question, cat."

"The name is Kuroo," hissed the cat. It would have been especially intimidating if Tobio would allow the shapeshifter to transform into something bigger.

"Why would Hinata need to summon a demon?"

The cat stopped moving, staring at him with gleaming eyes. "You don't know?"

He released enough magic into his hand for the cat to feel it.

"Alright! He trying to save his sister." Kuroo kicked again. "Some demon went on a rage and killed his parents. It did a neat little job on his baby sister too. Stole her soul right out of her body. Left only an empty husk."

Tobio dropped the cat. A sick, sinking feeling crawled into his gut. Demon didn't just go into murderous rages, not even low-level demons were that dumb, and it took a lot of control to cut a soul out a body. There weren't many who could cleanly take a soul. There were even fewer who would bother to do it to Hinata's family.

"Tell Kenma not to spy on me," he said, his thoughts elsewhere.

Kuroo landed on his feet and darted a short distance away, crouching low to the ground. "I thought Kenma was imagining you."

"No, you didn't," he snapped. Tobio wanted the cat to leave already.

"True. Kenma's instincts are never wrong."

He locked eyes with the cat, focusing his attention on the glow of Kuroo's eyes. "He is not right. I'm not here to hurt Hinata."

"A lot of people will come after you."

Tobio turned away from the cat and walked back inside. Part of him waited for the shapeshifter to pounce on his back. Kuroo was smarter than that.

Being inside wasn't any better. The walls still reached out to him with greedy vines of energy. He ignored it the best he could and prepared himself for a long night.

...

He didn't know what woke him. Maybe it was the unusual silence, or the cold creeping over his skin. Shouyou reach out blindly, searching for the man next to him. When his hands found empty space, he sat up.

The futon was empty. Shouyou tried squinting through the darkness, looking for Kageyama among the many blankets. When he found nothing there, worry began to crawl up his spine--worry that Kageyama had left completely. The demon had been acting strange for a few days now. He was tense and jumpy, especially when Shouyou got too close. Before Shouyou could fall completely into a panic, he heard quiet footsteps in the hall. Kageyama appeared in the doorway; a shadow among shadows.

"Where did you go?" Shouyou yawned. He was far too tired to see straight. If he'd really look, he might have noticed the stillness of the demon and tension in his shoulders.

"I needed some air."

Shouyou laid back down, only humming in response. After a moment, Kageyama joined him. The demon put the same cautious distance he always kept between them. Shouyou didn't think too much about it, being as tired as he was.

"Hinata..."

He hummed.

"Did you try to summon a demon to get back your sister's soul?" Kageyama spoke so quietly, Shouyou almost didn't hear him through the haze of sleep.

His eyes snapped open and he rolled to face Kageyama. The demon was much closer than his usual distance allowed. If he was any closer, they'd end up touching.

Even in the room's utter darkness, that strange inner light let out a faint glow from Kageyama's eyes, glimmering in the darkness like stars. They made his mind stumble over thought and his heart race faster. It took Shouyou a minute to gather his muddle thoughts. He didn't bother to question how Kageyama knew about his sister, nor did he bother to lie. There was no point if the demon already knew.

Kageyama growled at his silence. His voice came out harsh and critical. "How could you possibly think that would work?"

Shouyou rolled away and swallowed the pain in his chest. Kageyama's words hurt more than he wanted to admit. He'd given up on finding Natsu's soul a long time ago. Demons didn't keep souls just for fun. The chance that her soul was still around and that he could find it were too astronomical. He would have better luck killing every demon in the under realm. "That's not why I summoned a demon. I'm not that stupid."

"Then, why did you to do it?"

"It doesn't matter now. I was dumb and naive." His voice broke on the last word. He sucked in a deep breath and refused to cry.

Kageyama didn't speak, but a hand came to rest on his arm. It was one of the rare moments Kageyama voluntarily touched him, and it was enough to send him over the edge.

Maybe it was from how tired he was or memories of his family tearing at him, but hot tears ran easily from his eyes and disappeared into the bedding. He didn't sob or sniffle. The salty drops leaked out like an old faucet, and he miserably let them.

The hand on his arm tightened. Shouyou turned to hide in the comforting gesture, curling his fingers into Kageyama's shirt. Kageyama ran his fingers through his hair, a little too fast and a little too rough. Somehow, it still managed to help him calm down.

Once he stopped crying, the hand moved from his hair to his face, pressing to the curve of his cheek. A thumb dragged across his skin and wiped away the remaining tears.

"I know you're a naive idiot. Tell me why you tried summoning a demon." Shouyou may have been imagining it, but Kageyama spoke softer, almost gentle. His hands, as always, ghosted carefully over his cheek.

He closed his eyes, his gut turning with shame. Shouyou really could tell you what he'd been thinking, only that he was at his wit's end trying to get someone to train him. "I thought...if I killed a demon, it'd guarantee a hunter would mentor me."

"That's really dumb."

"I know." He sighed.

"Would you believe me if I said it'll be alright?"

He leaned his head against Kageyama's chest, focused more on the rumble of his voice than his words. Despite this, Shouyou nodded. He believed Kageyama could do anything. The demon was more powerful than he let Shouyou know. As far as he knew, Kageyama could end the entire universe.

They stayed like that through the night. He wouldn't let go of Kageyama and the demon laid there, resigned to his fate of of being Shouyou's pillow.

However, by late morning, Kageyama had slipped away while he slept. Shouyou threw out his arm, searching for the demon, but accidentally smacked it against Kageyama's chest.

Kageyama let out an annoyed grunt and shoved away the offending arm. Shouyou smiled and rolled his entire body onto Kageyama.

"Get off me," sighed the demon.

"Good morning." Shouyou rested his chin on Kageyama's chest, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

The demon still had his eyes closed, but his mouth pulled into a tight frown. Kageyama gave a warning growl. "Off."

"You're no fun." He was in no hurry to move. Kageyama felt good to lay on and warm. Shouyou put his cheek on Kageyama's chest. Like this, he could stare at the curve of Kageyama's cheek, following it to where it hardened into his jawline. Shouyou forced himself to close his eyes.

Hands pressed against his sides, warm through the fabric of his shirt. His mind blanked, unable to comprehend the contact. Before he could get his brain working again, fingers dug into his sides, and Shouyou squeaked. He threw himself from Kageyama, cheeks aflame.

"Unfair!"

Kageyama sat up with a shrug.

Shouyou dragged himself up and stretched up his arms. He was completely awake now, and a warmth lingered in his cheeks and chest.

"Do you want some breakfast?" asked Shouyou, listening to his stomach over the strange feeling in his chest.

"I don't need anything."

"I'll make myself breakfast, then." Shouyou went to the kitchen, trying to remember what was in his fridge. Kageyama shadowed him like he always did, looking over his shoulder when he opened the fridge. Shouyou took out eggs; he didn't feel like making a elaborate meal. Kageyama put himself out of the way. Shouyou tried to ignore the eyes on his back and went about cracking eggs into a bowl.

"I should go," said Kageyama quietly, without any warning.

He turned to look at the demon, but Kageyama refused to meet his eyes. These days, it was rare for the demon to leave. Kageyama followed him to work, followed him to Takeda's, followed him home. Only at night, did they really part for long. "So soon?"

"I've been here too long." Kageyama let his eyes wander to Shouyou's face. The demon was being unreadable again. "I'll probably be gone a few days."

"Oh..." Shouyou looked down at the bowl in his hands. They'd been see each other so often; every day for nearly a month. Even when Shouyou couldn't see him, he knew Kageyama was around. It came as a surprise that the demon would just leave. "Why?"

"Time gets distorted between realms."

He didn't quite know what to think of that. Despite doing all the research he could, demons were still a mystery to him and their realm basically nonexistent. If there was a time distortion between realms, then Kageyama hadn't been home in at least a months. He didn't even know if a demon could be away from his realm that long. Suddenly, he began worrying if Kageyama was staying too long in the human realm.

"Hey, dumbass. I'd like the leave before noon."

Shouyou jumped, nearly dropping the bowl. "Sorry! Is there some kind of rush hour you want to miss?"

"Sort of. It gets loud." Kageyama looked away, leaving Shouyou only to guess at what it could mean. Nothing got Kageyama more cryptic than talking about the under realm.

"You ever thought of putting on headphone?" Shouyou laughed at his own joke. Really, he just wanted Kageyama to stay a bit longer.

"Headphones?" Kageyama frowned.

His eyes went wide. He knew Kageyama wasn't much into technology; he was pretty sure the demon didn't even have a phone; but Shouyou couldn't believe Kageyama was _that_  ignorant. "You got to be kidding... You, hold on. Hold right there."

He ran off to his bedroom and looked over his messy desk. Digging around drawers and tossing papers, he finally found his old music player under a magic book. Shouyou grabbed his own headphones on his way back to Kageyama. "I thought demons were suppose to be experts on humans."

The demon shrugged. "I don't like humans. I barely know how they function."

Shouyou laughed, shaking his head, and shoved the headphone over Kageyama's ears. The demon panicked a moment before calming down. Just when Kageyama was about to ask the point of these "headphones," Shouyou plugged them into the player and turned on some music.

Kageyama's eyes grew wide and he looked around. Experimentally, he took off the headphone and put them back on. "What the hell..."

"Great, right?" He grinned. "Can you even hear me?"

Kageyama still had a dumbfound expression. "I can't hear you."

Laughing, he paused the music. "That's what I mean by putting on headphones."

"Let me see." Kageyama took the player from him and turned it over in his hands. A small pout formed as Kageyama realized he had no idea how it worked. "I can't figure out the spell."

"It's not magic." Shouyou couldn't contain his giggles. He explained, to the best of his knowledge, how the electronic worked. "Do you want it?"

Uncertainty knitted Kageyama's brows, his eyes looking between him and the player. "But it's yours."

"You can have it."

Kageyama stared at it. "Really? Don't you need it?"

"Not really. I don't use it much anymore." He didn't mind giving up the music player. It'd been sitting in his desk for awhile. He didn't even mind giving up his headphones. It was easy to buy a new pair. "Just come back soon, okay?"

"I will." Kageyama stared at him, his face pinched like he was trying remember a math formula. His face smoothed as he came to his conclusion. Kageyama leaned down swiftly and pressed his lips to Shouyou's cheek. "Thanks."

He froze, mind blank for the second time this morning. Without even looking embarrassed, Kageyama bid him farewell and left. Shouyou got the feeling Kageyama was lacking in his knowledge of human etiquette, along with his knowledge of technology.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, finally got around to posting. I have a hundred excuses, but mostly I lost my computer and my confidence. I re-read the story, psyched myself out, and stopped writing for awhile. No bueno. But! We are back for this chapter. Can't promise anything steady. School started, work sucks, and life goes on. Hope you enjoyed!


End file.
